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When the news release arrived in my email box Friday morning, I thought at first it was a joke.

Or maybe a clever piece of parody.

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Here was a release saying the Alberta government had suddenly reversed itself over a long-contentious issue involving a seniors care facility in Fort McMurray — an issue in which the Wildrose had been calling for that very reversal for months.

Now, not only had the government apparently followed the advice of the Wildrose, this supposed news release from the government included a quote from Wildrose Leader Brian Jean — the MLA for Fort McMurray-Conklin — praising Premier Rachel Notley for doing the right thing for his constituents.

And as if to prove this was indeed a joke, the government news release was sent not from a government account, but from the Wildrose.

So, what’s going on?

Well, turns out it was a legitimate news release. The government is indeed moving the site of a new continuing care facility for seniors from a previously approved site at Parsons Creek on the outskirts of Fort McMurray to a site in the city’s downtown core at Willow Creek.