This episode is a very, very special episode! With relations between the government of Alberta and First Nations at an arguable low with Treaty Chiefs expressing deep frustration and hurt from the way that the province is treating First Nations and the Treaties, we are extremely excited to present this extremely important conversation with Mi'kmaq poet Rebecca Thomas! We are extremely grateful to finally make this conversation a reality and it cuts to the core of what Canadian Identity is and wh...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 7Ep. 22
We're back after two weeks and on this Alberta Politics Roundup we have a lot to catch up on! We start off with a look at Danielle Smith and the UCP's very bad day in Fort Macleod before we take a look at the changes to seniors drug coverage and COVID vaccination coverage that were quietly introduced over the last few days. From there we do a deep dive in Dani's health care restructuring before be talk about our recent FOIP result on Halal mortgages! We follow all of that up with our recent FOIP...
Jun 23, 2025•2 hr 15 min•Season 7Ep. 21
On this Alberta Politics Roundup we're taking a look at the by-elections, the latest in the corrupt care scandal, the UCP's new book ban and the latest very wild episode of "Your Province, Your Premier"! If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 Million lawsuit against us by Sam Mraiche, the man who imported Vanch masks and the Turkish Tylenot as well as who hosted MLA's and Ministers in his skybox as he had business with the government... You can do that at w...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 52 min•Season 7Ep. 20
Time for another look at the biggest political scandal in Alberta's history! That Danielle Smith effectively threw $80 million down the drain in an attempt to own the feds by trying to buy childrens medication is largely a matter of public record. But it's the story beneath the surface that begins to show the real problems. There's been a lot of speculation as to who did what and when, but in this episode we are able to finally reveal the results of a FOIP request that seems to confirm a lot of ...
May 26, 2025•23 min•Season 7Ep. 19
Time for another Alberta politics roundup! UCP Travel! Another by election on the way! Abortion debate returns! Plus we do a deep dive on the incredible fallout from the UCP's Bill 54 and their sweeping changes to the fabric of democracy in Alberta as well as how it has re-opened the door for separatism in Alberta. Plus the return of our Speakers Corner! If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 Million lawsuit against us by Sam Mraiche, the man who imported V...
May 12, 2025•2 hr 28 min•Season 7Ep. 18
Almost 2 years ago we did a deep dive on the Western Standard and where they get their funding from, despite claims they accept no government funding whatsoever. As we finally got our FOIP results back after involvement from the office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, this is a follow up on the 100's of thousands of taxpayer dollars that the Western Standard has recieved from Danielle Smith's government! And on that note... If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight ba...
May 06, 2025•18 min
May the 4th be with you for this galactic sized episode!! We take a look at the latest in Alberta coal mining, we circle back to our deep dive on The Western Standard, Smith's half a million plates and rugs, we take a look at Smith's re-writing of democracy with her Bill 54, the ongoing Saga with Pete Guthrie and his shocking schism with the UCP, and we continue our deep dive on the former AHS CEO's lawsuit and the government response as well as the launch of her go fund me at www.saveathana.com...
May 05, 2025•2 hr 30 min•Season 7Ep. 17
Time for another live Alberta Politics roundup! This time around we take a look at the building frustration with the UCP, both internal and external, with Albertans blasting Smith's office for fundraising for an alt right US media outlet while Alberta taxpayers footed the bill, the UCP's court loss on the coal mine file, the whole Saga with Pete Guthrie and his shocking schism with the UCP, the departure of Alberta's CMOH and consequent apparent unmuzzling and we continue our deep dive on the fo...
Apr 28, 2025•2 hr 6 min•Season 7Ep. 16
Oh we’ve got a spicy one for you here! A couple of weeks ago, Andrew Longhurst released his latest research that shows that chartered surgical facilities in Alberta haven’t delivered as promised! Little did we know when we booked this interview that it would come the day after Danielle Smith announced massive changes that expand the role of profitized medicine and surgery in Alberta, but as luck would have it that’s exactly what happened. Plus we solve health care! (Kinda) If you're able to supp...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 7Ep. 15
In a province where the amount disabled Albertans receive from AISH is well below the poverty line, the UCP have launched a multi-pronged attack against the stability and security of the disabled in our province. To get a better grasp of the brutal clawback of federal supports intended to lift up disabled Albertans, the defunding of grassroots support groups and more, we're joined on this episode by disability self advocates Mike, Mary and Kavin as well as the executive director of the now defun...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Season 7Ep. 14
Time for another live Alberta Politics roundup! This time around we take a look at the UCP's short lived move to take popsicles away from kids fight cancer, Danielle Smith's bizarre tour with far right influencers and how they reacted, Donald Trump's tariffs not being the big win Smith claimed them to be and we start our Part 1 of a deep dive on the former AHS CEO's lawsuit and the government response! On that note... If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 ...
Apr 07, 2025•2 hr 24 min•Season 7Ep. 13
As we head towards the end of the month we’re also reaching the end of our series on coal mining on the Eastern Slopes, but we’re not quite done yet! In the fourth part of our interview series we sit down with former 2 term Lethbridge Mayor, Chris Spearman who paints a very clear picture of the economic risks that coal mining presents to southern Alberta’s, particularly in regard to agriculture and the booming agri-food industry! If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back aga...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 7Ep. 12
We’re continuing our firehose on coal in Alberta! Bill Trafford was one of the members of the Coal Policy Commiter that saw protections reinstated to protect the eastern slopes and is the president of the Livingstone Landowners’ Group, which represents landowners and supporters of the Livingstone-Porcupine area of Alberta. He joined us to share his story and to offer some optimism and hope for Albertans looking to push back against the UCP’s plans to expand coal mining! If you're able to support...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 7Ep. 11
With more and more news every day being broken on the "Corrupt Care" scandal and allegations on government corruption being made on what seems like a daily basis inside of the Alberta Legislature, many Albertans are asking if anything can be done... So to find out, we sat down with the folks from AB Resistance to get the latest update on their efforts to initiate recall petitions across Alberta and it how they're getting started in Calgary Bow! If you're able to support our legal defense fund to...
Mar 22, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 7Ep. 10
Welcome to Part 2 of our deep dive on coal in Alberta, with a conversation with biologist and environmental scientist Lorne Fitch! Lorne has been following the impact of coal mining in Alberta for the last 50 years and for his work on conservation he has been part of three Alberta Emerald awards, an Alberta Order of the Bighorn Award, and a Canadian Environmental Gold Award, with additional recognition from The Wildlife Society, the Society for Range Management, the Alberta Society of Profession...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 7Ep. 9
It's finally Part 1 of our deep dive on coal in Alberta! Throughout March we're going to be presenting a series of interviews on the incredible danger that coal mining in the eastern slopes, and particularly Grassy Mountain presents to Alberta! For our first conversation, we're extremely excited to present a conversation with an incredibly powerful voice, Adam North Peigan! In this conversation, not only do we get into the real risk and exploitation that First Nations have dealt with in regards ...
Mar 16, 2025•56 min•Season 7Ep. 8
On this episode we take a look at Derek Fildebrandts new criminal charges, we do a deep dive on coal mining and who's behind it, we talk about insurance costs, the state of healthcare in Alberta, Alison Redford new appointment and more! Look for Part 2 with our open mic soon! Don't forget, we now have merch that's available at www.abpoli.ca, including a spring lineup! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we’re trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up a...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 52 min•Season 6Ep. 35
The section of our show where Dr. David Keegan called in to share the story of his nephews death by suicide because of Smith's policies is so important and heartbreaking we decided to release a version with a few minor technical difficulties removed.
Mar 10, 2025•18 min
There's been a lot of talk about Danielle Smith's proposed policies limiting access to gender affirming care, and we've talked a lot about statistics and studies here on the show when it comes to gender affirming care... But enough of the academia. We sat down with an ACTUAL physician in Alberta who provides gender affirming care to cut through all of the noise and the fearmongering to hear from someone who actually provides gender affirming care what is happening in Alberta, what the rules are,...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Season 6Ep. 15
On this episode we take a deep dive on the history or "Parental Rights" in Alberta and we further explore how Danielle Smith's new anti-trans, anti-choice, anti-expertise policies will affect all Albertans with Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth, Dr. Kristopher Wells! And we now have merch that's available at www.abpoli.ca, including a fall lineup! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we’re trying to produce here at The Breakdo...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Season 6Ep. 11
In case Alberta politics isn't a hot enough topic, we're spending this episode on the intersection of religion and the machinery of public governance! In 2015 the Supreme Court of Canada decided in the Saturday Decision that prayer at municipal governments violates the states duty to neutrality, but is that decision being followed? To take this on, we sit down with Ian Bushfiled, the executive director of the BC Humanist Association and one of their main researchers Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff to...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Season 6Ep. 37
We're back after being silenced by a court order and we have a few things to say! If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 Million lawsuit against us by Sam Mraiche, the man who imported Vanch masks and the Turkish Tylenot as well as who hosted MLA's and Ministers in his skybox as he had business with the government... You can do that at www.savethebreakdownab.ca ! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Break...
Mar 04, 2025•13 min•Season 7Ep. 7
If the wheels came off of Alberta Politics last week, this week Alberta Politics went full Ford Pinto and blew all the way up! Former Justice Minister Kaycee Madu was sanctioned and fined, Take Back Alberta and David Parker were fined over $100,000, Trump announced a new round of tariffs after the UCP attended a taxpayer covered prayer breakfast, Prime Minister Trudeau confirmed Trump's annexation threats are real and then Carrie Tait with the Globe and Mail blew the absolute lid off of the ongo...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 35 min•Season 7Ep. 6
Here we go again with another whirlwind week in Alberta Politics that by necessity includes all of Canada and the United States! We start with a follow up on the overwhelming condemnation of Smith's taxpayer funded $2 Million COVID report before we take a look at the many stories falling through the cracks while all eyes are on the economic trade war that Trump has started before we also turn our attention to the last week in the trade war with the Tariffs officially in play! If you're able to s...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 40 min•Season 7Ep. 5
Well that was a week... Trump's Tariffs! Nazi Salutes! COVID Report! Also, is Smith using taxpayer money to travel around on the taxpayers dime to beef up Kevin O'Leary's AI venture? And what is going on with this government and coal mines! Plus, should we maybe at least be taking a little seriously the threat that Trump wants to take over Canada using economic force and is actually taking the steps to do it? If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 Million l...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 43 min•Season 7Ep. 4
It seems like someone has cut the brakes on Alberta Politics! From the start of the week with Smith's cell phone presser to address her Mar A Lago visit to her standing alone against confederation and everything in between, we've got you covered with our Alberta Politics Roundup! Plus we also reveal the results of two of our FOIP requests, with the first pulling back the curtain on the UCP government funding yet another right wing media group that claims to not take government funding and the se...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 51 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Well that escalated quickly! The Prime Minister steps down, Trump says he's serious about making Canada the 51st state and Danielle Smith's surprise vacation appears to have included an official stop at Mar a Lago to plead for Alberta's oil and gas. Plus the UCP give themselves a raise, healthcare gets cut, Marco goes to jail and a whole lot more! If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 Million lawsuit against us by Sam Mraiche, the man who imported Vanch ma...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Season 7Ep. 1
It's our first episode of 2025 and we're kicking it off with an Alberta Politics Roundup! Does changing a slogan fix the underlying problem? Why does Jordan Peterson seem to think racism in Canada has only been a problem since 1998? How crazy is the UCP travel itinerary? And what's up with the apples? If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 Million lawsuit against us by Sam Mraiche, the man who imported Vanch masks and the Turkish Tylenot as well as who host...
Mar 03, 2025•58 min•Season 7Ep. 1
What does 2025 hold for progressives? To try and get a handle on what the future of progressive politics might need to look like in the current political climate, we sit down with Political Scientist Dr. Lisa Young for a conversation you absolutely don't want to miss! If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 Million lawsuit against us by Sam Mraiche, the man who imported Vanch masks and the Turkish Tylenot as well as who hosted MLA's and Ministers in his skyb...
Mar 03, 2025•46 min•Season 6Ep. 80
It's our last live episode of the year! We start with an update on the $6 million lawsuit against Nate and the show and we simply can't say thank you enough for all of the support we've received! Nate gets into that and then we try and throw together a bit of a town hall with the help of semi-retired politico Sarah Biggs! If you're able to support our legal defense fund to fight back against the $6 Million lawsuit against us by Sam Mraiche, the man who imported Vanch masks and the Turkish Tyleno...
Mar 03, 2025•2 hr 11 min•Season 6Ep. 79
