The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy

The Gravity Well
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  1. 2d ago

    Pick a Fun Fight

    In this episode, I am pleased to host Meidas Canada’s Charlie Angus, a former Northern Ontario Canadian MP. I have been working as an Alberta correspondent for him on Meidas since he came to Alberta in January of this year to support the Remove Nicolaides recall campaign of Demetrios Nicolaides, Alberta’s Anti-Public Education and anti-Certified Childcare Minister. Charlie recounts for me his accidental entry into politics, beginning when he dropped out of high school to play in a punk band, then worked with the homeless in Toronto before moving to Northern Ontario. There, he became a carpenter and started a magazine with his wife, which led him to cover the Adams Mine garbage proposal—a scheme to dump Toronto’s trash into abandoned mine pits at a geological tipping point where water flows both north to the Arctic and south toward the St. Lawrence. This fight transformed him into an activist, where he discovered his talent for confrontation and organizing, eventually leading to a 21-year career in Parliament starting in 2004. The discussion highlights Angus’s philosophy of trusting ordinary people over political elites and hired consultants. He emphasizes how farmers and miners understood groundwater science better than degreed experts working for developers, and how organized citizens successfully fought technical battles against large corporations and government spin. After retiring from Parliament, Angus launched Meidas Canada following Trump’s election, recognizing the threat of extremism and feeling that mainstream media wasn’t adequately addressing it. Angus draws alarming parallels between Alberta’s current situation and Brexit, noting similar patterns of Russian interference through the Internet Research Agency, Cambridge Analytica-style disinformation, and manipulation of online platforms. He criticizes the lack of political leadership in addressing these threats, while praising Canadians’ grassroots response—including a 30% drop in purchases of American-built vehicles through boycotts. He concludes by urging citizens to take direct action, attend rallies, create music for the movement, and trust that their neighbors will do their part—arguing that empowered citizens genuinely frighten the political establishment. “I know people are afraid. I know people get worried. Don’t doom scroll. Take the fight to them because it really freaks them out. So that’s what we got to do.” —Charlie Angus You heard that right, PICK A FUN FIGHT with Charlie and me. Check out Charlie’s IRAN LEGO NEWS video. Get full access to The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy at www.thegravitywell.net/subscribe

    Pick a Fun Fight

  2. 4d ago

    Grunge is Not Dead

    In this episode, I am joined Trisha McOrmond, a Metis sociologist, indigenous systems thinking educator and punk based in Edmonton, whose diverse background includes Metis heritage, Irish immigrant grandparents, and a Chilean political refugee stepfather. Trisha draws on these experiences to inform her understanding of resistance and community-centered living, and she now works both as an indigenous systems thinking educator and in emergency management helping communities rebuild after disasters. We discuss Alberta’s upcoming referendum, with Trisha arguing that the questions are deliberately written at a first-year college reading level rather than the government’s own standard of sixth to seventh grade, in order to induce fear, suppress critical thinking, and discourage people from questioning authority. I add that the Parkland Institute has reported referendum questions will not actually solve the problems they claim to address, and that Premier Smith herself admitted the Senate question would achieve nothing. The conversation then shifts to the broader economic and social conditions driving apathy and disengagement. Trisha argues that society over-invests in pension accumulation and fossil fuel extraction at the expense of youth, citing a report showing roughly 30% of Canada’s GDP is spent on programs for people 45 and older compared to only around 7% for those under 40. She also highlights the disappearance of entry-level “sidewalk jobs” due to automation and AI, which strips people of purpose and meaning and leads to substance use and community breakdown in places where labour markets have collapsed. This sense of purposelessness is compounded by the hollowness of high-salary work that harms communities, with Gallup reporting that 80% of employees are disengaged at work. We reflect personally on the cost of prioritizing financial accumulation over meaningful work. Trisha describes leaving a government career where she was writing policy that undermined people like herself as a single mother, and later withdrawing her pension to build a company aligned with her values, finding her life richer despite having less money. I similarly recount realizing that myopic expertise in the oil and gas industry was being used to help industry actors close loopholes rather than address harm. We agree that true fulfilment comes not from financial accumulation but from community-oriented work, and a punk rock spirit of resistance, calling on peers in our generation to redirect their energy toward building a better future. The conversation closes with Trisha describing her five-week indigenous systems thinking and design course, running Thursdays from November 5th to December 3rd, which is designed to offer participants an alternative worldview centered on building community and hope rather than extraction. The course is rooted in the indigenous principle that the individual creates community, community creates culture, and culture creates the individual, forming a cycle that cannot exist without each part. Trisha emphasizes that even beginning to consider an alternative is a hopeful step, and that change does not need to happen overnight, encouraging listeners to explore what it means to live in the world differently. A 20% discount code “JENNY20” is available for those wishing to register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigenous-systems-thinking-crash-course-morning-edition-tickets-2002223486346. Get full access to The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy at www.thegravitywell.net/subscribe

    Grunge is Not Dead

  3. Sep 26

    More is Not More

    Two Alberta teachers and education advocates, Tania and Lindsay, who run the pages “Remove Nicolaides” and “Let’s Talk Alberta Education” respectively, join me to discuss the realities of Alberta Public Education: its mismanagement at the hands of our Education & Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, and his predecessor: Adriana LaGrange. Tania is a kindergarten French immersion teacher in Calgary-Bow who became involved in advocacy after simply trying to sign Nicolaides’ recall petition, while Lindsay describes herself as a “reluctant influencer” with nearly 20 years of teaching experience who started her online presence the same summer the first screeners were introduced. Both discuss how the UCP government’s decisions since 2019 have systematically eroded public education in Alberta, beginning with dramatic cuts to Program Unit Funding (PUF), which had previously provided holistic early childhood assessments and in-school therapeutic supports such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists working weekly with students. Removing these supports after COVID, when students arguably needed them most, has caused unaddressed developmental gaps to snowball as children progress through the school system. In place of the earlier holistic screener system, the government introduced mandatory literacy and numeracy screeners that both teachers argue are developmentally inappropriate, anxiety-inducing, and produce no meaningful data or corresponding support. Lindsay describes the current screeners as something no teacher asked for, and notes that even the expert credited with designing them bases his university courses on “screening and intervention,” not screening alone. Weber Academy, a high-tuition private school, publicly stated the government screeners were “far too basic” and provided “no meaningful or valuable feedback,” and that administering them would come at the school’s own expense. Administering the screeners requires one-on-one time, substitute teacher coverage, and additional planning burdens that fall entirely on already overstretched teachers, with any resulting intervention also placed on teachers’ shoulders rather than dedicated support staff. The conversation also explores the political and ideological influences shaping these education policies. Tania identifies a Christian think tank called Cardus that has sent policy memos directly to Minister Nicolaides, with at least three policy directions being implemented by the government in near-verbatim alignment with those memos. One such memo, sent before the teacher strike, outlined strategies for the government to manage a prolonged strike, including paying parents directly from savings on teacher salaries and encouraging movement into charter, independent, or homeschool settings. Both teachers emphasize that the government locked teachers out three days after the strike began rather than using the notwithstanding clause immediately, which they argue was a deliberate strategy to deplete the Alberta Teachers Association’s financial resources and weaken its ability to advocate for teachers. In closing, both advocates urge parents and Albertans to stay informed, attend school council meetings, and continue supporting public education. Lindsay warns that schools are already in crisis before October, with insufficient resources, growing class complexity, and a widening gap between government rhetoric and classroom reality. Tania notes that Nicolaides has now expanded the screeners into grades four and five, even while schools lack enough hired teachers to manage their existing workloads. Both teachers stress that the future of Alberta depends on properly funded and supported public classrooms, and that the “more is more” framing used by the minister is empty without meaningful, evidence-based action. Want to take action? Email your Education Minister at: education.minister@gov.ab.ca. Request that he RETURN Program Unit Funding (PUF) to public school kindergarten students and CANCEL the meaningless and harmful—void of adequate intervention—pre-screening practices. Get full access to The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy at www.thegravitywell.net/subscribe

    More is Not More

  4. Sep 19

    Ground Zero: Oct 1 AI Data Centre Town Hall in Olds

    This episode features a discussion with Kayla Piccinin, Carol Edwards, and Jasona Rondeau -- who are promoting a province-wide town hall event called “Ground Zero,” organized by the Alberta Transparency Project. The event is centered on the issue of AI data centre development in Alberta, particularly following the Synapse project, which the group successfully opposed in Olds. Carol Edwards, a retired professor and project analyst, became involved after the project was proposed near her home, while Jasona has spent four years helping landowners navigate regulatory processes when projects arrive in their communities. The guests emphasize that the event is relevant to anyone concerned about environmental impacts, health, property values, water, and agricultural land. Jasona stresses the importance of learning the facts and understanding how to act at the municipal level, noting that project approvals involve four separate regulatory streams. Carol urges people of all skill sets to get involved and participate on the front lines, while Kayla highlights the importance of everyday conversations and sharing information to raise awareness. The October 1st event will be held at the local legion hall in Olds, Alberta, doors open at 5 pm, with plenty of parking! Jasona notes that people from around the world are already anticipating the live stream! The event is volunteer-run and funded, with a donation option planned for attendees. I express hope that the model developed in Olds to fight data centres can be replicated elsewhere across the province. Want to learn more? BIG TECH, BIGGER QUESTIONS IN ALBERTA CJSW radio in Edmonton covered the St. Alberta data centre town hall hosted by Give Voice: a grassroots organization of mostly retired women. Keepers of the Water Director, Jesse Cardinal, Olds Resident and retired Simon Fraser University Professor, Carol Edwards, and I spoke. DATA CENTRES: Who benefits? Who pays? Plans for new data centres in Alberta threaten water resources and energy prices, I sat down with The Climate Lens’ Steve Bentley to discuss. Get full access to The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy at www.thegravitywell.net/subscribe

    Ground Zero: Oct 1 AI Data Centre Town Hall in Olds

  5. Sep 18

    Rebellion Ahead

    Before listening to this conversation, consider: * Premier Smith’s first action in office was an attempt to exert Alberta sovereignty, over Canada, but most importantly, ahead of First Nations who proceeded all of us, and have fought for their sovereign rights since time immemorial. * After two court ruling, a hurdle-smashing Forever Canadian petition, we are still facing a 10-question referenda most of us do not want. * The US has declared war against us, yet Alberta’s Premier won’t cut them off. Despite all other provinces agreeing to fight, Canada continues to capitulate to Smith. * Both Smith and Carney are throwing out environmental protections, climate targets, and International law in the name of AI surveillance technology and threats to national security. * Developers, like Sam Altman of OpenAI, are sounding the alarm that deregulation seems to be leading to self-destruction, by way of uncontrollable AI algorithm agents. * Fueled by and for the fossil fuel industry who is destroying itself, and our way of life with it, with our money through illegal, unprovoked wars and genocide. Blocking renewable and restoration alternatives whilst they destroy the global trade system, which feeds us, for all the world to see. * The referenda agenda is already underway: students are being cut off from public school and families from healthcare. Jobs are drying up, along with our freshwater table, and any logical reason to let this agenda continue. A rebellion is urgently needed, what are you waiting for? The conversation opens with a focus on the ongoing situation in Gaza and Palestine. Wesam Cooley, a regular on The Gravity Well, describes the conflict as a genocide now approaching its three-year mark, continuing despite a ceasefire that Israel has not respected. Recent incidents include a building collapse where a child was found alive among dead family members, and a quadcopter drone strike that killed both a paramedic and a 15-year-old boy who had gone to help him. We note that Israeli political opinion polls show near-unanimous support for the military campaign among Israelis, and that upcoming Israeli elections are unlikely to change the direction of the genocide, as no candidate campaigns on ending it. The discussion then expands to the broader regional war, including Lebanon, the West Bank, and Iran. Wesam explains that the US launched a war against Iran in February, and that Iran has responded by using its geographical control over the Strait of Hormuz to restrict oil flows to any nation supporting the US military action. Brent Crude has surpassed one hundred dollars per barrel, and the economic damage is described as irreversible, with rationing expected in the coming months and years. Yemen’s Ansar Allah has also seized the western coast of Yemen and is positioned to besiege the Bab al-Mandeb strait, while also attacking Saudi oil infrastructure, resulting in Saudi Arabia temporarily exporting zero oil. I add that oil and gas infrastructure damaged through bombing cannot simply be restored, with replacement timelines stretching years or decades, and that the CEO of Chevron has publicly acknowledged coming shortages of diesel, jet fuel, and fertilizer. The conversation shifts to the geopolitical position of Canada, the Alberta separatism referendum, and the US imperial decline. Wesam argues that the US, facing the collapse of its West Asian presence, is now looking to expand control over weaker targets, with Canada being especially vulnerable. The Alberta referendum is described as dangerous not because the separatism question itself may pass, but because any yes vote on the nine constitutional questions could trigger a constitutional crisis that would be used to legitimize US intervention in the province. I note there is no defined threshold for success in the referendum act, meaning the organizing faction can declare victory on any outcome. Both speakers call for mass public action, with Speaker 2 suggesting that blocking key intersections in Calgary and demanding Danielle Smith’s resignation before October could be decisive. In closing, the speakers reflect on the Ukraine war and the broader failure of Western institutions. Wesam states that the war in Ukraine has been lost, that a peace agreement was sabotaged by Britain in 2022, and that Ukraine is now forcibly conscripting men off the streets while running short of military age men. Russia is described as warning that continued Western drone supplies being used to attack Russian civilians may make those supplying nations legitimate military targets. Both speakers argue that the root cause of these interlocking crises is a billionaire class that makes decisions insulated from their consequences, and that meaningful change requires collective organization and the removal of that class from power. China is held up as a counterexample of a society providing affordable goods and a collectivist future, with Wesam arguing Canada should be seeking deeper ties with Beijing rather than Europe or Washington. I prefer a future for the collective than a military state, may the force be with you if you agree. Get full access to The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy at www.thegravitywell.net/subscribe

    Rebellion Ahead

  6. Sep 12

    Reuters & Referenda

    I welcome Edmonton-based journalist Jeremy Appel, of The Orchard who is based in Edmonton and contributes to numerous news outlets including the National Observer, the Toronto Star, and Ricochet. Appel also has a book forthcoming on Premier Danielle Smith titled “Dark Phoenix: The Rise, Fall and Reemergence of Danielle Smith,” which he describes as a spiritual sequel to his earlier book on Jason Kenney. We then turn to a story Appel covered regarding Reuters, which is owned by Canada’s Thompson family and derives much of its revenue not from journalism but from data and AI services. Specifically, Reuters operates a database called CLEAR that aggregates personal information on Americans, including immigration status and social security numbers, and has contracted with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assist with deportation efforts. When Reuters was asked about safeguards, their response amounted to cancelling the contract if misuse were discovered, which Appel found unconvincing. The discussion then broadens to the role of big tech in serving state interests, including Google Maps renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America” at Trump’s informal request and Zuckerberg gutting Meta’s fact-checking apparatus upon Trump’s return to office. Appel connects this to the Alberta referendum, arguing that the immigration questions underpinning it are built on fiction and that the broader separatist movement is fundamentally about liberating the oil and gas industry from federal constraints. He traces this narrative back to Jason Kenney, who amplified Alberta grievance politics around equalization payments and pension contributions, framing federal structures as conspiring against the province despite Alberta being among the wealthiest provinces per capita. Appel argues that Danielle Smith has taken this further, fusing state power with corporate interests in a manner he describes as more authoritarian than the neoliberalism practiced by Kenney. Our conversation turns to the political landscape ahead of the referendum, with both speakers expressing frustration at the Alberta NDP’s strategic approach of targeting an imagined suburban Calgary swing voter rather than articulating a bold alternative vision. The host shares her own experience running as an independent candidate after Notley refused to discuss a just transition before the election, and argues that the NDP cannot win by trying to out-promise the UCP on oil and gas. Appel notes that Smith is skilled at framing hard-right positions, including restrictions on immigrant access to healthcare and schooling, as reasonable compromises, while the underlying claims are based on misinformation. He also raises concerns that gerrymandering of Calgary ridings may render electoral strategy discussions largely moot. In the final portion of the conversation, Appel outlines his upcoming work, including a piece for The Walrus on the AI data centre revolt, an excerpt from his book in The Walrus, a piece in Maclean’s on Smith’s new authoritarianism, and a Globe and Mail op-ed arguing that Smith is not a separatist but that the truth is actually worse. The host reflects on the broader stakes facing Alberta, arguing that the province is being distracted by the referendum spectacle while facing genuine existential challenges around water, ecological collapse, and economic transition away from fossil fuels. Both speakers express admiration for federal NDP leader Avi Lewis as a rare political figure willing to speak honestly about these issues. The conversation closes with Appel plugging his book launch in Edmonton on October 13th and a planned event in Calgary in early November. If you’re in the Edmonton area, get tickets for Jeremy’s book launch event here. Get full access to The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy at www.thegravitywell.net/subscribe

    Reuters & Referenda

  7. Sep 6

    Meet Kyle Campbell for Calgary-Shaw

    Monday, September 14 is the Calgary-Shaw By-Election Early vote between September 8-12. Calgary-Shaw Communities * Shawnessey * Somerset * Yorkville * Belmont * Pine Creek * Chaparral * Walden * Wolf Willow * Legacy Tell your Calgary-Shaw friends this is an option to send Premier Smith and the United Conservative Party (UCP) of Alberta a strong message. Become a member. Volunteer. Donate. Vote. Kyle Campbell, the Alberta NDP candidate for the Calgary-Shaw by-election, introduces himself as a longtime South Calgary resident who coaches his kids in basketball and baseball and works in insurance. He states clearly that he supports remaining in Canada, noting that the overwhelming majority of people in Calgary-Shaw share that view and do not understand the need for a separation referendum, particularly given its enormous cost. On the broader referendum questions, he argues that the immigration-related questions unfairly blame newcomers for the UCP government’s own financial mismanagement, and that he would not trust the UCP with any attempt to alter the Canadian constitution. He also criticizes Premier Danielle Smith for travelling to the United States during tariff negotiations and urging Canada to accept whatever terms the Trump administration offers, arguing that Canada is stronger when all provinces stand united. On the issue of AI data centres, Campbell supports the Alberta NDP’s position of pausing all new data centre implementations until proper consultation is completed, a framework is established, and clear benchmarks are set to measure whether projects are meeting Albertans’ needs. He notes that Alberta already has deep expertise in energy-intensive infrastructure and should apply that knowledge to this new sector. Regarding healthcare, Campbell shares his personal experience of being diagnosed with cancer in 2023, during which he faced a six-week wait for a basic blood draw due to the province’s privatization of blood work, and his physician had to call him from personal holidays because no one was covering her practice. He argues that meaningful healthcare improvement is achievable by consulting frontline workers, collecting their incremental suggestions, and implementing them, describing it as a listening and doing problem rather than an insurmountable one. On public education, Campbell points out that the Calgary Board of Education has identified ten schools that need to be built within the Calgary-Shaw riding alone, and that parents returning to school found classroom conditions deeply troubling. Rising busing costs, now at $500 per child per year, are forcing families to send children out of their own communities, undermining the very reason many families move to the suburbs. He recounts conversations with parents who are homeschooling or paying for private school not out of preference but because the public system fails to support children with special needs, including those with autism. Campbell calls on the government to simply build the needed schools, hire the necessary staff, and listen to education experts, arguing the solution is straightforward. In closing, Campbell frames the Calgary-Shaw by-election as being focused on education, healthcare, affordability, and the question of remaining in Canada. He emphasizes his belief that politicians should do what they say they will do and urges voters to participate in advanced polls running September 8 through 12, with election day on September 14. He presents the Alberta NDP as the only party with a genuine commitment to making progress on these issues and hearing everyday Albertans. Early vote between September 8-12 Monday, September 14 is the official Calgary-Shaw By-Election voting day. Get full access to The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy at www.thegravitywell.net/subscribe

    Meet Kyle Campbell for Calgary-Shaw

  8. Sep 5

    Mikayla Interrupts Alberta Independence

    The conversation opens with Mikayla Resists—last on The Gravity Well in May—arguing that global conflicts and Alberta’s political situation are driven by imperialism, greed, and resource extraction, framing the struggle as “people versus the power” rather than left versus right. She expresses frustration with the separatist movement, noting that despite sharing some anti-establishment rhetoric, separatists refuse to consider tools like general strikes and openly oppose unions, even though unions secured workers’ rights and benefits. The conversation then shifts to an ongoing data breach involving the Centurion Project, with Mikayla stating she is still monitoring the situation and working with a developer to build blockchain-based voting verification, while warning that Elections Alberta has only a year to issue fines and has not updated its website since late April. I connect the data breach to Premier Danielle Smith’s behaviour, suggesting US involvement and noting that Smith immediately travelled to the United States after the breach became public. We then discuss two confrontational events Mikayla attended. At a pancake breakfast, Mikayla planned to confront Danielle Smith about AISH and ADAP policy changes, and also noted the presence of Chief Warren Driechel, whom she had been seeking accountability from regarding a trip to occupied Palestine. After her friend raised issues including trans rights and AI data centres, Smith deflected with a question about social media use, prompting Mikayla to loudly challenge her for platforming separatists, resulting in the now-known “f**k your fascist pancakes” moment. Following this event, Mikayla received, and is still receiving, serious threats and was followed by separatists. At the Alberta Independence rally at the legislature, a speaker named Leyton Grey, described as an indigenous lawyer, made statements defending residential schools, and a preacher called for bringing God into the separatist movement. Mikayla interrupted the rally, called attendees traitors, and was subsequently given a 90-day ban from the legislature by provincial sheriffs, while her friend was physically roughed up and briefly handcuffed. The discussion broadens to cover US demands on Canada, with me listing 13 proposed conditions (https://finance.biggo.com/news/934d7490-f69f-4fa3-8cec-ccecd7485b62#:~:text=According%20to%20Canadian%20media%20reports) including veto power over Canadian infrastructure decisions, right of first refusal on critical minerals at a preferred price, elimination of cultural and language protections, and the ability to sue the Canadian government. I also make reference to the Alberta Prosperity Projects “Foundation of Freedom” surrender document, which Thomas Lucaszuk suggests should be mandatory reading here: We criticize Smith for continuing to push for an Alberta separation referendum while Canada faces these external threats, contrasting her with Quebec’s premier who refused to discuss any referendum while Canada is under such pressure. Mikayla states that Smith has collaborated with separatists, knowingly allowed them to infiltrate her party, and appears to be acting as an agent for US interests rather than representing Albertans. Our final segment focuses on grassroots resistance and the AI data centre issue. Mikayla visited Olds, Alberta, where residents are fighting a proposed data centre that would sit across from a local home, with no adequate plan for water or noise, and where the CEO of Synapse admitted he came to Alberta for its natural resources. I raise concerns about old natural gas wells being repurposed to power data centres instead of being cleaned up through the Orphan Fund, and questions the unnecessary use of freshwater when glycol could be used instead. Both hosts conclude on a note of cautious optimism, urging Albertans to vote no in the upcoming referendum, praising growing cross-divide cooperation, and committing to door knocking and canvassing efforts through Public Interest Alberta. Mikayla closes by challenging separatists to consider what they will do when they lose the referendum, noting she has yet to receive an answer. Become a “Together NO” volunteer with Mikayla and me: albertareferendum2026.org/volunteer/! TAKE ACTION: meet at the Hyatt Regency (8th Avenue & Centre Street) on Wed, Sep 9 at noon. LEARN MORE: BIG TECH, BIGGER QUESTIONS Get full access to The Gravity Well with Jenny Yeremiy at www.thegravitywell.net/subscribe

    Mikayla Interrupts Alberta Independence
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