Something old. Something news. Something borrowed. Something blue. A sixpence in your shoe.We checked them all off with the return of the legendary Alberta Report to publication today, 20 years since the old magazine's last edition.I let the cat out of the bag when I told an Edmonton dinner gathering last week honouring the late Ted Byfield that we would be doing it..The Alberta Report will serve as a locally-focused regional publication led by Western Standard Chief Editor Dave Naylor, who will also serve as the Alberta Report's managing editor. From 1973 to 2003, the Alberta Report was the undisputed independent voice of Alberta. Under the leadership of its founder and publisher, Ted Byfield, it profoundly impacted the politics and culture of Alberta and Canada. From its pages sprung the modern Western conservative movement that gave birth to the Reform Party and Wildrose Party, culminating in the Conservative Party of Canada and the United Conservative Party of Alberta. Despite its influence, the Alberta Report ceased publication in 2003. In 2003, Ezra Levant picked up the torch, launching the original Western Standard in 2004. As Levant put it to me once, the Western Standard acknowledged its paternity in the Alberta Report family, with Ted Byfield as its father. Indeed, Ted helped Levant move subscribers to the new publication and supplied much of the editorial team talent — including himself. The original Western Standard magazine also was not destined to last, but we brought it back to life in 2019. And you know where we are today.In 2021, Western Standard New Media Corp. acquired the rights to the old Alberta Report masthead, but we didn't give it the TLC that it deserved until we were ready for a full relaunch now. The return of the Alberta Report today follows hot on the heals of the launch of the West Coast Standard in BC last week and the Saskatchewan Standard earlier this week. Each of these publications will be more locally focused than our flagship Western Standard. However, the Alberta Report will be the centrepiece of these regional publications, picking up a storied masthead that our readers will rightfully have high expectations for. I hope you'll support the new West Coast Standard by becoming a member today.
