This is Edmonton

Edmonton’s internationally renowned video game studio has powered down for the last time. BioWare was shut down last week when Electronic Arts, its parent company, announced company-wide layoffs. BioWare had a major impact on the video game industry and its closure has raised questions about the future of the Edmonton scene. We sit down with one of the founders of BioWare to talk about the company's legacy.

The October 19th referendum was historic, and the majority of Albertans voted to stay in Canada. As the remaining ballots are counted, we sit down with a data scientist to talk about what the initial results tell us and where we go from here.

It’s less than a week until referendum day, but this vote has been decades in the making. To prepare us for what’s next, producer Pippa Reed takes a look back at how we got here. From the first Prime Minister Trudeau and the National Energy Program, to the drama of dueling petitions and court cases, we look at the long story of separatist sentiment in Alberta.

In less than two weeks, Albertans head to the polls to answer 10 questions that could affect the future of the province. The historic, non-binding referendum includes five questions about immigration, four about constitutional changes and one about whether Alberta should stay in Canada or start the process for another vote to separate. The questions are long and dense, so we thought a debrief on what they mean would be worthwhile for our listeners. Clare Bonnyman sits down with CBC reporters Rukhsar Ali and Joel Dryden, who have both written extensively about the questions Albertans will vote on.

On this National day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, things feel a little different. The upcoming provincial referendum, and question on separatism, is colouring conversations as communities mark the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 6. On this episode of the show, reporter Stephanie Cram explains the significance of Treaty 6, and what it means for a possible separation vote. Plus, why First Nations in Alberta are gearing up to “Rock the Vote” in a few weeks.