Peter M:
These people kill me. They’re actively trying to destroy our public health care system for the soul purpose of enriching themselves and in the process immiserating millions – they get caught and rightly called out for it and immediately begin playing the victim. Vomit inducing.
@JasonOnTheDrums:
Welcome back to @TheBreakdownAB
Damn, we missed you!
Complete (excellent) clip below (the one included yesterday, skipped):
From the Transcript:
… I also want to be clear that I understand the very real anger that comes from feeling or being powerless. I spent the last two weeks having rights that are guaranteed to me under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms suppressed. I’m still very angry about that.
I’m angry that the premier’s office allegedly tried to have me fired from my job as a paramedic. I’m especially angry about that because just a few years ago go I spent over a year fighting my way back from a PTSD diagnosis to recover and get back to the job I love and because I dared to criticize the government of the day they allegedly tried to take away that accomplishment, my livelihood and my ability to provide for my family. So you had better believe I’m still very angry about that.
I’m angry that asking questions about how taxpayers money was spent puts a Target on my back and a six million dollar lawsuit over me and my family. I’m angry that instead of her taking responsibility for the roles that Danielle Smith and her staff played in removing guard rails designed to prevent undue influence on and by government, the current Premier of Alberta has instead only been blaming the organization that she is ultimately responsible for after she personally tore down the firewalls to prevent government interference with the express state goal of gaining even more influence to allow for even more government interference.
I’m angry that the premier and others are pretending the medication purchases and the surgical contracts were just bureaucrats being bureaucrats when they were both the direct result of ministerial directives. …
@t.dmytryshyn2615:
How about the fear that Albertans have about these private companies and the UCP Government stealing our Public Health care and changing it to private.
@Sylvie_M:
Congratulations Nate!!!! Kudos to you for choosing to make an effort in not using data that is publicly available in some circumstances. We should not ever be afraid to speak out. Being silenced by government smacks of fascism and autocracy. We have all missed your broadcasts, be they journalism or not. Let’s all give a shout out for the rule of law. With regard to your future broadcasts, we must not forget that provinces to the east of us also access water that originates in the Rockies.
@piktormusic2538:
It is important to note that you played by the rules. Imagine if the convoy trucker folks had adhered to the rules that apply to all to present their concerns to the government. Unfortunately, they felt entitled to inflict terrorist tactics to make their points. Congratulations Nate and company for using the lawful avenues, with the goodwill and support of concerned citizens, to prevail and continue to engage folks in the functioning of our provincial government. THIS is how democracy is supposed to work and how democracy can survive. Keep cutting through the conspiracy theories, narratives and spin Nate. In these times of gut churning outrage and anger, I hear and will respect your call for us to uphold the rules of civil society.
@LateForDinner-mn1hn:
The truth shall prevail! And the scariest thing for those who believe the public should stay ignorant while having the public’s treasury ransacked for the enrichment of a few politicians and their multi millionaire friends is when the public finds out the truth.
Thank you for standing up for yourself and Alberta, I hope your channel continues to grow stronger.
@laytonburton1961:
Welcome back! I’m in Saskatchewan and I’ve missed this podcast so much! What Alberta does, Saskatchewan does two weeks later. Thank you for your work.
@greginab:
Thank you, Nate, welcome back! I will promote your voice as much as possible!
The coal in the eastern slopes policy is an absolute disgrace and you’re right, it is way more far-reaching than the Crowsnest Pass. The entire foothills region is being given out to coal interests and will see the loss of a great deal of backcountry and the poisoning of the Red Deer and North Saskatchewan watersheds. It all stems from corrupt pandering to foreign billionaires and must stop now!
@disorderedyyc:
“The best part for me is the support that I and the show have received from Albertans and—legitimately, I can say this—Canadians.”
“To be able to turn the lights back on—to be able to say thank you—is huge, and that’s what I’m choosing to focus on today.”
***
Katy E@MargTokar Mar 2, 2205:
Corruption Ends,
Where
Courage Begins.
Missing @theBreakdownAB and @NatePike
Anytime I opened X, @theBreakdownAB was always the first account I checked for what was happening in Alberta.
Wishing him the very best, and hoping that in Monday…we can all welcome him back!
@Jax_and_Philip:
You never know what you have until it is gone – man, I hope this is a temporary thing because I really appreciated Nate’s independent but well-researched perspectives
@JanesAly:
Me too. Never realized how much he helped my mental health until he was gone. So much shit the last few weeks and not having a calm voice to review everything and say “no you’re not going crazy, that really happened, she really did that” is very missed.
@MargTokar:
You said exactly what I was attempting to convey. Thanks!
@Realcamdavies:
They could save taxpayers a ton of $$… “we have investigated ourselves and have seen no evidence of wrongdoing”. Circa June 30, 2025.
What a joke.
@hutchison_bo:
So pleased to have The Breakdown AB back in action!
Now, hearing that the lawsuit is ongoing, I’m at a loss. I don’t understand why this is the case when Mraiche’s lawyers have had plenty of time to read thru the blog. Can anyone clarify pls?
@DuaneBratt:
The purpose of the lawsuit is not to win. It is to cause financial pain to a small outlet and warn others. This is why it is called SLAPP.
@dianesbaker1:
“Resultant harm”? From words that spoke truth……
Someone must remind S Mraiche that we know about some of his crimes, already.,
@Cliffor18175753:
The judge who allowed the injunction in the first place should face consequences for that absurd ruling.
disordered @disorderedyyc:
“I don’t think anyone was thinking I’d have the resources to fight back,” Mr. Pike said Monday.
“The support I’ve received has been overwhelming. If not for that support, I’d be all kinds of screwed.”
Nate Pike Reposts ‘The Breakdown’ After New Ruling, The Alberta scandal tracker no longer faces an injunction. A legal expert explains why by Charles Rusnell, March 4, 2025, The Tyee
Charles Rusnell is an independent investigative reporter based in Edmonton.
An Edmonton judge on Monday terminated a controversial interim injunction against a popular Alberta political web series and podcast that prompted its host to remove all his social media content for two weeks.
Nate Pike, The Breakdown’s owner and host, decided to shut down his media platforms after another judge on Feb. 14 directed him to remove all content related to Edmonton businessman Sam Mraiche and his medical supply company, MHCare Medical. The judge also ordered Pike not to make any further comments about Mraiche or his company.
Mraiche sued The Breakdown and Pike for $6 million in December, alleging a campaign of defamation and harassment in a series of commentaries. In seeking the interim injunction, Mraiche said Pike’s alleged campaign caused him and his family to fear for their safety due to threats he said they received.
The multimillionaire businessman is at the centre of what the Alberta NDP has dubbed the CorruptCare scandal. It has roiled the province’s politics and generated headlines since the Globe and Mail broke the first story in July 2024 about the relationship between Mraiche and United Conservative Party ministers, including Premier Danielle Smith.
The allegations have not been proven in court. Pike has filed a statement of defence in which he denies the allegations that he illegally defamed Mraiche or his business.
Mraiche’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment so it’s not known if Mraiche intends to appeal Monday’s ruling.
The Breakdown has about 40,000 followers, and a GoFundMe legal defence fund set up by Pike has raised more than $200,000.
Pike reposted his content almost immediately after the judge issued the ruling.
Veteran Vancouver lawyer Roger McConchie, one of Canada’s top defamation lawyers, told The Tyee reposting the content may carry a legal risk.
Pike won’t be violating a court order if he reposts the allegedly defamatory statements, but McConchie said “if [Pike] loses at trial, the damage award would almost certainly be increased by any continued publication of the impugned expression between now and the trial verdict.”
Granting an interim injunction constitutes serious interference in free speech under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The legal threshold for such an injunction is high. Essentially, a judge must find that a defendant in a lawsuit has no defences to the alleged defamatory statements.
Court of King’s Bench Justice Doreen Sulyma made that finding on Feb. 14 after a rancorous hearing in which, McConchie said, she appeared not to have been provided with a full, clear explanation of the leading case law related to such injunctions, which are rare.
McConchie told The Tyee that Sulyma’s ruling didn’t appear to meet the stringent test for issuing the interim injunction — and that is what Court of King’s Bench Justice Bonnie Bokenfohr found during a 30-minute hearing on Monday.
Bokenfohr ruled Mraiche’s lawyers had not established that the defences of justification, fair comment and responsible communication in the public interest would fail, or that it was beyond doubt that any defence raised by the respondent was not sustainable.
“I was not surprised at all by the ruling,” McConchie said.
“The court simply applied the long-standing test for pretrial injunctive relief in defamation matters, and as a result, the application for an interlocutory injunction was dismissed.”
Another major issue was resolved at a hearing on Friday presided over by Bokenfohr. Pike’s lawyers gave an undertaking to remove the home addresses, contained in public documents, of individuals involved in the defamation action.
Bokenfohr on Monday, however, rejected a request by Mraiche’s lawyers to order The Breakdown not to publish information about Mraiche’s family members, several of whom worked in the government.
The judge found that only publicly available information had been published and the publication of their names and positions with the government did not rise to the level of harassment.
Mraiche’s lawyers had argued Pike and The Breakdown had neglected to properly monitor comments on his social media. Bokenfohr advised Pike that he had a legal obligation to actively monitor posted comments and to remove incitements to violence.
Pike’s lawyers had immediately filed an appeal to the Alberta Court of Appeal of Sulyma’s ruling. One of his lawyers, Shaun Fluker, said they are still considering whether to continue the appeal.
McConchie said that, contrary to the public claims of some commentators, Sulyma’s ruling did not set a precedent that should cause journalists concern. He said her ruling cited none of the major established precedent cases, including one from the Supreme Court of Canada.
Pike’s lawyers had asked Bokenfohr to rule on an application to move up the discovery stage of the lawsuit — to essentially show what evidence they intend to provide to support the defamation allegations. Without giving reasons, Bokenfohr said she wouldn’t rule on the application.
The judge said if the two sides can’t agree on costs — the winning side normally gets costs — then they should make written submissions within 30 days.
“We are seeking costs,” Fluker said. “Now we proceed with defending the claim.”
Alberta judge dismisses application for injunction shutting down political podcaster by David Ebner, Justice Reporter, March 3, 2025, The Globe and Mail
An Alberta judge has dismissed an application for an injunction against a podcaster who has covered the province’s health care controversy.
Monday’s ruling is a reversal of a court order issued in mid-February, when podcaster Nate Pike of The Breakdown, a political commentary show, was told to remove all content related to the case from the internet and stop publishing any new material.
Mr. Pike, on his podcast and on social media, had chronicled questions about Alberta Health Services’ business deals, the provincial government’s role and the links to Sam Mraiche, the owner of MHCare Medical Corp., a company that has worked with the province.
The Alberta government has been facing a growing controversy since The Globe and Mail reported in early February on allegations of government pressure in contracting and procurement at AHS to the benefit of private companies. The Auditor-General has launched an investigation, and last week a cabinet minister resigned over his government’s handling of the issue.
The allegations were later made public in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed by the former chief executive officer of AHS. The claims have not been tested in court.
In December, Mr. Mraiche and MHCare filed a $6-million lawsuit against Mr. Pike, alleging defamation and harassment. On Feb. 13, Mr. Mraiche said in a court filing that he feared for his safety and sought an injunction ahead of a trial against Mr. Pike and The Breakdown to remove material related to the case and refrain from new statements.
In an urgent hearing the next day, Justice Doreen Sulyma of the Court of King’s Bench in Edmonton issued the two-week injunction.
The legal test for a defamation injunction ahead of a trial is strict, to protect freedom of expression, but recent academic research in the Dalhousie Law Journal showed defamation injunctions issued by the courts regularly go “far beyond what is justifiable.”
Last Friday at the Court of King’s Bench in Edmonton, the two sides returned for a lengthier assessment of the application for an injunction against Mr. Pike. Justice Bonnie Bokenfohr delivered her judgment Monday morning.
Mr. Pike’s lawyers at Wilson Laycraft said the injunction application failed because it did not meet “the legal test for such extraordinary interim relief.” They added that the application wasn’t able to show Justice Bokenfohr that Mr. Pike’s possible legal defences, such as fair comment or responsible communication in the public interest, “would inevitably fail.”
With the two-week injunction expired and the latest court ruling in hand, Mr. Pike restored most of The Breakdown’s material on the internet. The defamation case is continuing, and Mr. Pike’s lawyers said it could be years before the case goes to trial.
After the lawsuit was filed in December, Mr. Pike sought to raise money for a legal defence fund on the crowdfunding website GoFundMe. He set a goal of $80,000. As of Monday, he had raised more than $200,000 from 2,700 donations.
“I don’t think anyone was thinking I’d have the resources to fight back,” Mr. Pike said Monday. “The support I’ve received has been overwhelming. If not for that support, I’d be all kinds of screwed.”
Mr. Mraiche’s lawyers did not respond to several requests for comment Monday. In a previous statement they said “any allegations or insinuations of wrongdoing on the part of MHCare Medical Corporation and/or Sam Mraiche are unwarranted and unjustified.”
berilo:
It is now time to zero in on all of Mr Mraiche’s (allegedly) unwholesome “business” transactions with the Alberta government. We need a proper independent public inquiry to get to the bottom of this apparent serial scam on the people of Alberta. Follow the money and it could lead to very interesting places and pockets.
Thank you, Mr Pike, Ms Mentzelopoulos, and the G&M for revealing this apparent corruption. Also thank you to Mr Guthrie for standing up for responsibility in government.
JAMESJOHN2650:
A good outcome, made possible by, in part, by several thousand Albertans who stepped up for the “Iittle guy”. Although Mr. Pike is very much an important guy.
Mary Hamilton:
Hooray, the good, little guy won, at least for now.
I am in BC and I contributed. It is important to fight back against tyranny.
Fordnut:
Unbelievable that the former judge issued that injunction and uplifting that this judge did not grant it. The charter does stand for something
David Zimmerman2:
Good… a judge who believes in the Charter right of free speech.Even more amazing that the judge that undid the injunction is Albertan!
124thstreetbeat:
This is wonderful news. All Nate Pike ever did was connect the dots and expose a level of corruption that is brutal, even for Alberta. I just hope that somehow all the work he (and the Globe and Mail, credit where credit is due) has done exposing the disaster leads to real consequences for the UCP. I doubt it. Too many dirty judges controlled by the politicians and rich, and Albertans vote too stupidly. UCP know they’ll get a bigger majority next election, no matter how much they steal from ordinary Albertans or how badly the fuck us for their orange Nazi south of the border.Although in this environment of hyper-partisanship and the inability of any politician to show shame and take responsibility for their actions this hope seems a bit slim.
el topo:
Pretty well sums up my thinking as well. Thankful that the G&M covered the CEO’s lawsuit – which is very consistent with the kinds of things that Pike talks about. It may have made the judge more aware of the legitimacy of what he reports.
And I also share your skepticism that this will really move the needle in rural Alberta.
(hoping that letting Gina Reinhart both have and poison or water in the South has an impact but I don’t even know if that will make a difference)
leonidas baltas:
Canada is far from broken and this judgment is proof of this. Still, two broken things are Poilievre’s cockiness and D. Smith’s mountain of lies and skulduggery.
isabellaavalancyC:
If Mr. Mraiche is not sleeping soundly at night, it might be because of his conscience rather than the fear that Mr. Pike’s podcast listeners are coming for him?
If not that, perhaps he should try melatonin.
kannegeiser:
This is a positive outcome. I hope all Albertans take the time to familiarize themselves with Mr. Pike’s findings. He has done remarkable work.
@Karen83079126:
There will be more support if needed. A counter suit would be awesome
@darylcognito:
This injunction should never have been granted period the biggest problem with the legal system is anyone can say anything and cause someone to shell out for a lawyer. …
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