Kathleen Petty sits down with politicians, pundits, and other thoughtful westerners for conversations about the priorities, preoccupations and politics of Albertans and others who are West of Centre.
Canada has yet to meet NATO’s two per cent defence benchmark, yet the federal government is already pledging to boost spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035. That target framed CBC host Rob Brown’s conversation with Arctic security scholar Rob Huebert, who says the figure is not arbitrary but reflects growing vulnerabilities exposed by Russian aggression, China’s rise and the uncertainty of a second Donald Trump presidency. On this episode of West of Centre Short, Huebert notes Canada’s last m...
Premier Danielle Smith is pitching her “Alberta Next” roadshow as a grassroots consultation, but critics say its six survey questions steer Albertans toward sovereignty-tinged answers. The travelling panel will study these topics: an Alberta police force, immigration, constitutional amendments, provincial tax collection, federal transfers and equalization, and a provincial pension plan. On this week’s West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty asks former UCP staffer Karamveer Lalh, pollster Janet Brow...
The results of Alberta’s three byelections delivered a largely status quo outcome, but with some notable undercurrents. In Edmonton-Strathcona, NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi secured a decisive win, surpassing former leader Rachel Notley’s vote share with 82 per cent. It marks his long-awaited entry into the legislature. The NDP also held Edmonton-Ellerslie, though with a slimmer margin — nearly 11 points down from 2023. That erosion raises questions about the party’s grip on “Fortress Edmonton,” part...
Ahead of three Alberta provincial byelections on June 23, West of Centre is sharing a special bonus episode from our colleagues at Front Burner. They recently travelled to Three Hills — a town about 130 km northeast of Calgary — to explore why separatist sentiment continues to simmer in parts of rural Alberta. CBC Calgary’s Jason Markusoff joined them on the ground, attending a town hall on Alberta independence and speaking with locals about what’s fuelling the frustration with Ottawa. In the ri...
The federal election may be over, but Pierre Poilievre is not done campaigning. After losing his longtime seat in the Ottawa region, the Conservative leader is now focused on winning a byelection in rural Alberta—one of the party’s safest ridings. On this episode of West of Centre, three Conservative insiders discuss what this campaign could reveal about Poilievre’s political evolution. Can he adapt his tone and strategy to regain momentum and further expand support? Or will he double down on th...
Alberta is facing the prospect of its largest coordinated public-sector labour disruption in decades, with tens of thousands of workers poised to strike. Teachers, health-care professionals and government employees have voiced growing frustration with stalled negotiations — including 95 per cent of Alberta Teachers’ Association members voting in favour of strike action. On this episode of West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with Jason Foster, a professor of human resources and labour rel...
Alberta’s economy looks strong on paper, but many residents don’t feel better off. Despite record oil production, rising exports and the highest GDP per capita in the country, wage stagnation and uneven wealth distribution have left many Albertans frustrated. In this episode of West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty speaks with economists Alicia Planincic of the Business Council of Alberta and Jim Stanford of the Centre for Future Work to unpack the province’s economic paradox: how can a place so r...
Alberta’s energy debate has long stretched beyond oil and gas, but in recent years, a wave of policy shocks has shaken investor confidence in the province’s renewable sector. And while Premier Danielle Smith is sprinkling in “clean power” in her public messaging, the surprise moratorium on new wind and solar approvals in 2022 — followed by a series of restrictive regulations — continues to cast a long shadow over the future of renewables in Alberta. The government, meanwhile, says it has set out...
Prime Minister Mark Carney is saying all the right things when it comes to building a new pipeline. He’s invoking “nation-building,” touting Canada’s potential as an “energy superpower,” and emphasizing the need for infrastructure to unlock economic growth. But squint at the details and contradictions emerge — most notably, the federal government’s insistence that any such project would require consensus from all provinces and Indigenous communities along the route. This week on West of Centre, ...
The Carney era has officially begun. In his first week in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Mark Carney signalled a break from the performative theatrics that have defined federal politics in recent years. His new Liberal government is moving swiftly — scrapping the consumer carbon tax from law, cutting income taxes, and — more ambitiously — planning legislation to fast-track major national infrastructure projects. But skepticism is already mounting. Some Indigenous and environmental groups a...
Danielle Smith’s extended political honeymoon, Naheed Nenshi’s lukewarm debut, and Alberta’s identity crisis — all captured in a fresh batch of polling data commissioned by CBC Calgary. On this episode of West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with pollster Janet Brown and data scientist John Santos to explore where Alberta’s political winds are blowing at the halfway mark of the current UCP government’s mandate. From voter impressions of the Alberta premier and her NDP challenger to shifti...
When Tim Hodgson stepped up to the podium at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, he struck a tone rarely met with optimism in Alberta — especially from a Liberal cabinet minister. In this episode of West of Centre, guest host Jim Brown breaks down the early signals from Canada’s new Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, as Hodgson attempts to reset Ottawa’s rocky relationship with Western Canada’s energy sector. A former chair of Hydro One and board member at MEG Energy, Hodgson brings both Bay...
Canada’s measles elimination status is at risk for the first time in decades, with Alberta among the hardest-hit provinces. This week on West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with University of Calgary health law expert Lorian Hardcastle about why Alberta is seeing a significant resurgence in cases — and the political forces that may be influencing the response. Hardcastle says Alberta’s delayed reaction and initial silence from key leaders point to a deeper shift in how public health is c...
Will the Liberal government — somewhat refreshed with a few new faces — help reset Ottawa’s strained relationship with the West? That’s the central question in this episode of West of Centre, as host Kathleen Petty is joined by former Liberal MP and leadership contender Martha Hall Findlay, Saskatchewan political columnist Murray Mandryk, and Calgary Sun writer Ricky Leong for a wide-ranging conversation about federal-provincial fault lines, cabinet signals and the spectre of separatism. The pan...
Edmonton MP Heather McPherson says the federal NDP must reconnect with its working-class roots as it looks to rebuild after a historic election loss. In an interview with CBC host Rob Brown on West of Centre Short, McPherson acknowledged the sting of losing all but seven seats — five of them west of Ontario — but said the party can rebuild from its western strongholds. She pointed to Edmonton Strathcona’s long-standing legacy of NDP leadership, both federally and provincially, as a foundation fo...
<p>Is Alberta inching closer to the exit door? Premier Danielle Smith insists she’s a federalist — but her government’s latest moves are making it easier for citizens to trigger a referendum on independence. With fresh polling from the Angus Reid Institute showing a majority of UCP voters in favour of holding a secession vote, the big question is: is this a tactical play to reset Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa, or a strategy to keep her party’s restless base onside?</p><p>T...
<p>Two-in-five Canadians think Alberta separation is a real possibility — even though most would reject the idea, new polling shows.</p><p>In the wake of the 2025 federal election, exit polling from Research Co. reveals that 40 per cent of Canadian voters believe Alberta separation could actually happen. That number jumps to 58 per cent within Alberta — though only a minority would welcome it. Speaking with host Rob Brown on West of Centre Short, pollster Mario Canseco says it’...
Kathleen Petty explores the implications of the recent election results, focusing on Mark Carney's win and its impact on Alberta and Canada. The episode features perspectives from Calgary voters and political strategists, discussing topics like Western alienation, Danielle Smith's strategies, and the potential for unity. Guests debate Carney's leadership and Alberta's role in Confederation, suggesting ways to bridge divides and address regional concerns.
<p>In the wake of a federal election that saw the Conservatives defeated once again, despite a notable increase in support, political columnist and author John Ibbitson joins West of Centre Short to argue a deeper political realignment is underway.</p><p>In conversation with host Rob Brown, Ibbitson revisits the central thesis of The Big Shift — the 2013 book he co-wrote with pollster Darrell Bricker — which outlines how political power in Canada has been shifting away from the...
A panel of strategists dissects the Canadian federal election results, focusing on the Liberal's unexpected win, the Conservative's internal strife, and the NDP's dismal performance. Discussions include the impact of Donald Trump fears, leadership challenges for Poilievre, and potential shifts in Alberta's relationship with Ottawa under a new government. The episode provides deep insights into the political dynamics and future trajectories of Canada's major parties.
Three generations of Prairie political minds discuss the final stretch of the 2025 Canadian federal election, assessing party leaders, generational divides, and potential shifts in voter allegiances, while also addressing concerns about national unity and the influence of American politics. The panel debates whether voters' shifting allegiances are rooted in hope, anger, or economic anxiety, and how the election results might impact the country's future.
<p>The Conservative Party has dubbed the past nine years of Liberal rule a “lost decade” — a period defined by stagnating wages, soaring debt and declining productivity. But Alberta Central's chief economist Charles St-Arnaud says the story is more complicated — and more alarming. In this wide-ranging and insightful interview with host Rob Brown on West of Centre Short, St-Arnaud traces Canada’s economic malaise back not just to 2015, but to structural problems that have been festering for...
<p>West of Centre hits the road for a special live show from Medicine Hat — Canada’s sunniest city and the backdrop for big questions about energy, identity and the future of the West. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by a panel featuring former Alberta Party leader Barry Morishita, former UCP MLA Michaela Frey and pollster Janet Brown for a wide-ranging conversation on Western alienation, interprovincial trade and the role of mid-sized cities in provincial and national politics. Rochelle Pan...
<p>From method acting to music stands doubling as podiums, debate prep is part serious business, part political theatre. Ahead of the highly anticipated federal debates — the first major showdown between Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre — CBC’s Rob Brown gets the inside story from two political strategists with firsthand experience. Shannon Andrews helped Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe prepare his talking points against NDP leader Carla Beck, while Jean-M...
<p>Crowd sizes have suddenly become a talking point in the federal election, with many comparing Pierre Poilievre’s massive rally in Edmonton to Mark Carney’s smaller, but still maxed-out, event in Calgary. Meanwhile, polls suggest the Liberals are holding a steady lead over the Conservatives. Are the Tories in serious trouble? And how many gaffes can Carney make before one finally sticks? Past midway through the campaign, is it too soon to call him a ‘Teflon’ candidate? West of Centre hos...
<p>Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman spearheaded the Chicago School, popularizing free-market ideas that reshaped American conservatism. But Canada has its own counterpart: the so-called “Calgary School,” a loose group of University of Calgary academics whose ideas helped shape this country’s right-of-centre movement. Their influence can be seen in the policies and perspectives of conservative leaders ranging from Stephen Harper and Danielle Smith to Pierre Poilievre. In this e...
<p>Everything we know about “the West” seems to be shifting this week. On a global scale, the U.S. has upended the post-war international order by slapping tariffs on dozens of countries, effectively shredding free trade. Closer to home, former Reform Party leader Preston Manning warns of a potential “West wants out” scenario if the Liberals form government again. How real are these threats? West of Centre host Kathleen Petty talks with three everyday Albertans about navigating this highly...
<p>West of Centre is hitting the road to Medicine Hat for a special live show at the Esplanade centre on April 16! Join host Kathleen Petty and producer Falice Chin, along with a lineup of insightful guests, as they delve into the city’s “Gas City” reputation and the challenges of transitioning away from local natural gas. The conversation will also tackle issues like Western alienation in Premier Danielle Smith’s home riding — and we want you to be part of it. Presented in partnership wit...
<p>For the first time in months, U.S. President Donald Trump isn’t calling Canada’s prime minister the “governor of the 51st state.” But Prime Minister Mark Carney insists the “old relationship” between Canada and the United States — anchored by deep economic, security and military ties — has come to an end. Meanwhile, the first week of the election campaign has been consumed by tariff tensions, eclipsing tax-cut promises and prompting concern among conservative stalwarts that Pierre Poili...
<p>After what feels like the longest federal election buildup in recent memory, the race is finally about to begin. New Liberal leader Mark Carney is barely out of the gate and already showing signs of impatience — and inexperience — under media scrutiny. With a compressed timeline and an unpredictable political climate, parties are scrambling to sharpen their messages and connect with voters. Just days before the expected election call, West of Centre host Kathleen Petty speaks with polls...
