West of Centre 's citizen panel is back, this time to weigh in on October's referendum, where Albertans will be asked to decide the future of their province within Confederation. Returning to join host Kathleen Petty are Darryl Stanier, who runs a logistics supply chain business; Sunil Shah, an electrical engineer; and Chelsea Matisz, a research scientist. The panel agrees Alberta has legitimate grievances within Confederation. But they disagree on whether the 10 questions Albertans will vote on...
Jun 05, 2026•31 min•Season 7Ep. 290
As Albertans contemplate an October referendum that will see them choose between the province remaining in Canada or starting the process toward a future binding independence vote, the governing United Conservative Party is starting to show signs of internal strain and vulnerability of its leader, Premier Danielle Smith. The political game in Alberta has changed. The debate around the future of the province has ignited emotion on all sides, and has morphed into "primordial politics," a deeply-en...
May 29, 2026•34 min•Season 7Ep. 289
Let’s make a deal, Alberta! Will it be door No. 1 or door No. 2? Except there’s no zonk prize, and you’re not allowed to switch. Alberta’s premier has put an end to the speculation about whether voters will get a say on the future of the province. Danielle Smith has announced a tenth referendum question on the ballot in October with two choices: should Alberta remain in Canada or should the provincial government start the process toward a binding referendum on separation? What is the premier’s w...
May 22, 2026•40 min•Season 7Ep. 288
'The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat'. It's an old chestnut that seems apropos in the blood sport of Alberta politics. The victory is for the Alberta government, as it clears another hurdle in its landmark energy deal with Ottawa. The province has reached an agreement with the federal government on increasing the effective industrial carbon price to $130 per tonne by 2040. While the Pathways Project on carbon capture, utilization and storage, a potential pipeline route, and a private s...
May 16, 2026•38 min•Season 7Ep. 287
Supporters of Alberta independence are celebrating this week after over 300,000 signatures calling for a referendum on separation were submitted to Elections Alberta. But it comes as another separatist group, the Centurion Project, is being investigated by the RCMP, Elections Alberta and Alberta’s privacy commissioner for its use of a voters list with the information of nearly three million Albertans. West of Centre guest host Jason Markusoff is joined this week by Tyler Dawson, an editor for th...
May 08, 2026•32 min•Season 7Ep. 286
What you see is what you'd get if an election were held today in Alberta — except the United Conservative Party would have an even bigger majority government. That's one of the findings from the latest poll by Janet Brown Opinion Research for the CBC. Brown is one of Alberta's most respected pollsters. Her secret sauce when it comes to opinion research is Albertans talking to Albertans. Brown joins West of Centre host Kathleen Petty this week to take a deep dive into the findings, along with dat...
May 01, 2026•40 min•Season 7Ep. 285
The UCP’s decision to reject a bi-partisan commission’s report and order a do-over of riding maps has ignited a firestorm over the usually sleepy issue of electoral boundaries. Is this meddling or giving rural Alberta fair representation? Meanwhile, a separatist group is in court to avoid opening its books, Premier Danielle Smith’s new website is pushing her own referendum questions, and many clicks are going to a series of AI “slopaganda” online videos that stoke worries about foreign interfere...
Apr 25, 2026•42 min•Season 7Ep. 284
Separatism is in court (again), as several First Nations try to thwart a referendum on Alberta independence. The group collecting signatures to trigger a referendum on separation says it already has more than the required number of signatures. It expects the Smith government to put its question on the ballot, even if a judge rules against the petition. Meanwhile, Alberta’s education minister has tabled a bill aimed at getting politics and ideology out of the classroom. It mandates that teachers ...
Apr 11, 2026•37 min•Season 7Ep. 283
As members of the NDP celebrate new leader Avi Lewis and his vision to revitalize their party, there’s skepticism in Alberta that Lewis’ federal victory will put the New Democrats back on the road to relevancy. Two NDP insiders, Shannon Phillips, a former Alberta NDP cabinet minister, and Keith McLaughlin, who was chief of staff to several ministers in Rachel Notley’s government, join West of Centre host Kathleen Petty to offer their analysis on the impact that Lewis will have in Alberta — and t...
Apr 02, 2026•38 min•Season 7Ep. 282
Back in January 2001, six influential Alberta conservatives sent then premier Ralph Klein the now famous 'firewall letter.' Under the heading 'Alberta Agenda,' the letter proposed withdrawing from the Canada Pension Plan, establishing a provincial police force, bypassing the Canada Revenue Agency in favour of the province collecting its own income tax, and Senate reform. These ideas were seen as fringe. Extremist even. But with the passage of time, some of the key measures in the firewall letter...
Mar 27, 2026•32 min•Season 7Ep. 281
There’s great concern that people in Ottawa aren’t taking what’s happening in Alberta seriously enough. With national unity at stake, some Senators are looking west from the upper chamber and acknowledging there are indeed structural issues at the federal level that’s fueling frustration. This week on West of Centre , Kathleen Petty welcomes a panel of Prairies senators. Alberta Senator Paula Simons, who was appointed in 2018 and sits in the Independent Senators Group; Saskatchewan Senator Pamel...
Mar 20, 2026•47 min•Season 7Ep. 280
The deadly U.S.- and Israel-led attack on Iran has given way to a cold economic reality. According to the International Energy Agency, the war in the Middle East has created the biggest oil supply disruption in history. With oil markets in turmoil and fears of export restrictions growing as the conflict enters its third week, Canada suddenly has more relevance in the conversation around energy security. This week, West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Gitane De Silva, the former CEO of...
Mar 13, 2026•33 min•Season 7Ep. 279
For decades, Alberta’s federal politics has been a fortress. But the Conservative blue wall protecting the province is showing signs of cracking. And the colour seeping in? Liberal red. To help understand the shift, West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Éric Grenier, a premier Canadian polls analyst and founder of The Writ; and David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, whose latest online survey reinforces the idea that the increase in Liberal support in Alberta isn’t a blip. Multiple polls s...
Mar 06, 2026•32 min•Season 7Ep. 278
Buckle up and keep your hands on the bar, Albertans! The province’s ride on the resource revenue roller coaster continues, and the latest $9.4 billion drop is enough to make a staunch fiscal conservative lose their lunch. The latest budget update projects three consecutive years of red ink and increased borrowing to fund critical public services, with no clear track back to balance. This week on West of Centre , host Kathleen Petty has assembled three big brains to critique this latest dive loop...
Feb 27, 2026•43 min•Season 7Ep. 277
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has some questions she wants Albertans to answer. Nine of them, to be exact. That’s how many referendum questions Smith announced in a televised speech that she’s going to put to Albertans on Oct. 19. They range from constitutional reform to abolish the Senate and change who picks judges, to several that would directly affect some immigrants and the services they receive. To unpack the proposed immigration changes, host Jason Markusoff is first joined by Raj Sharma...
Feb 20, 2026•49 min•Season 7Ep. 276
What does a kid from Nanton, Alta., write in his private journals after spending his days influencing some of Pierre Elliott Trudeau's most controversial policies? This week on West of Centre , host Kathleen Petty takes a peek into The Coutts Diaries: Power, Politics, and Pierre Trudeau 1973-1981 , with the book's editor, Ron Graham. As the prime minister's principal secretary, Jim Coutts was said to have exercised more backroom power than anyone else in modern Canadian political history. He was...
Feb 13, 2026•35 min•Season 7Ep. 275
Grab your snacks and beverages and settle in for a West of Centre twofer, no coupon required. First, host Kathleen Petty reconvenes our citizens’ panel — Chelsea, Darryl, and Sunil — to get their perspectives on the latest happenings in Alberta. Darryl, who identifies as "blue through and through" describes his recent trip to Ontario and how Alberta politics is perceived by some in the east (Hint: it isn’t flattering). Sunil, a disappointed Conservative supporter, feels that Alberta has legitima...
Feb 06, 2026•54 min•Season 7Ep. 274
It’s a wrap for the Conservative Party Convention in Calgary. Leader Pierre Poilievre secured an 87.4 per cent vote of confidence. Now that he’s won over the delegates, the focus for him and the party becomes winning over Canadians. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined this week by two Conservative insiders who were also at this weekend’s convention. Amber Ruddy, Alberta's national councillor for the Conservative Party of Canada and a vice-president at Counsel Public Affairs; and Ian Bro...
Feb 01, 2026•36 min•Season 7Ep. 273
The seeds of separation are being sown. Thousands have been braving January’s cold to put some heat on the effort for the province to become a free and independent country. This week on West of Centre , host Kathleen Petty speaks with one of the campaign’s key proponents and head of the Alberta Prosperity Project, Mitch Sylvestre. Among many points in their conversation, he tells her there’s no U.S. funding involved in the effort, and that his sense is things would have been much different if Pi...
Jan 23, 2026•41 min•Season 7Ep. 272
This week on West of Centre , guest host Jason Markusoff reconvenes the national political panel The House Party for a conversation about Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa. That historically difficult partnership has changed with a deal to pursue a pipeline to the B.C. coast, and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s warmth towards this Liberal prime minister. But our panel wonders if that relationship is built to last. Joining Jason are his two co-hosts from House Party: Catherine Cullen, host of C...
Jan 16, 2026•53 min•Season 7Ep. 271
The geopolitical rules were rewritten this week as the U.S. moves beyond simply buying oil. It effectively took over the world's largest oil reserves in Venezuela — the same kind of heavy oil produced by Alberta. It's a threat that can't be dismissed. This week, West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Gitane De Silva, former CEO of the Canada Energy Regulator and Alberta's former senior representative to the United States; Martha Hall Findlay, who was Suncor Energy's first chief climate ...
Jan 09, 2026•48 min•Season 7Ep. 270
From a Trump trade war and a historic teachers' strike, to the UCP government’s use of the notwithstanding clause, 2025 has been a high-stakes whirlwind for Alberta. This week on West of Centre, the CBC’s own Jason Markusoff swaps his producer and writer hat for a clipboard as quizmaster for our "not-quite-annual" quiz show. Testing their knowledge of the year's headlines: Falice Chin, Alberta bureau chief of The Hub; Alex Boyd, Calgary-based reporter for the Toronto Star; and pollster Janet Bro...
Dec 19, 2025•50 min•Season 7Ep. 269
What if the biggest danger to Canada isn’t a foreign enemy or even U.S. President Donald Trump? Rather, poor policy decisions and decades of deferred leadership that have created deep regional resentments – including here in Alberta – that threaten to tear the country apart. And what if the greatest threat to Canadian unity now comes from the west? John Ibbitson, veteran political journalist, and Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Global Public Affairs, join West of Centre host Kathleen Petty to disc...
Dec 12, 2025•39 min•Season 7Ep. 268
For the second time this year, Alberta’s UCP government is lowering the barriers for citizen-led referendum questions while also stripping the Chief Electoral Officer of many powers. This week on West of Centre , host Kathleen Petty is joined by CBC writer and producer Jason Markusoff; Globe and Mail reporter Matthew Scace; and pollster and political analyst Janet Brown. As the UCP tinkers with its legislation yet again, Brown wonders, did the provincial government not think this legislation all...
Dec 06, 2025•47 min•Season 7Ep. 267
Alberta and Ottawa have sealed a new “grand bargain” – a long-awaited memorandum of understanding that could pave the way for a major new bitumen pipeline to B.C.’s remote northwest coast. Joining West of Centre host Kathleen Petty to dissect this week’s deal are Gitane De Silva, former CEO of the Canada Energy Regulator; Emma Graney, Globe and Mail energy reporter; and Mike McDonald, former chief of staff to B.C. premier Christy Clark and co-host of Hotel Pacifico, a podcast focusing on politic...
Nov 28, 2025•45 min•Season 7Ep. 266
Health care in Alberta is getting a massive makeover, as the UCP government introduces what it calls a dual-practice surgery model. Critics fear that by allowing some surgeons to simultaneously practice in both the public and private system, a patient’s wait time will be determined by their wallet. The province says it wants to try something new to solve wait times, and at least one panelist contends it’s time Canadians destigmatize the word "privatize." The plan comes as Alberta’s auditor gener...
Nov 21, 2025•46 min•Season 7Ep. 265
The Grey Cup deadline on a memorandum of understanding between the prime minister and the premier is about to come and go, but it’s not necessarily a disaster, as Danielle Smith works to secure a "new, grand bargain" for Alberta. This week on West of Centre , host Kathleen Petty is joined by Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt; Alberta-based politics reporter for the Toronto Star, Alex Boyd; and the CBC's own writer and producer Jason Markusoff. Are there finally signs of life...
Nov 14, 2025•45 min•Season 7Ep. 264
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget dropped this week, but it has been buried in the news by MP exits and mounting pressure from Albertans using the UCP’s own legislation to seek accountability. This week on West of Centre , host Kathleen Petty is joined by longtime policy advisor Ken Boessenkool, who worked with former Prime Minister Stephen Harper; Zain Velji, one third of The Strategists podcast who has worked on campaigns for the Alberta NDP; and Globe and Mail energy reporter Emma Gra...
Nov 07, 2025•47 min•Season 7Ep. 263
Alberta’s UCP government used the biggest hammer in its toolbox this week to force teachers back to work. The provincial government invoked the notwithstanding clause, arguing families needed certainty. The move has certainly raised the ire of many Albertans, along with the wider labour movement, which has promised consequences. Already, the education minister is the target of the first recall petition approved under Alberta’s Recall Act. This week on West of Centre , host Kathleen Petty is join...
Oct 31, 2025•44 min•Season 7Ep. 262
With the ballots finally counted and the results official, Alberta’s 2025 municipal election cycle is one for the books. New regulations brought in by the provincial government for voters casting ballots for mayor, councillor and school trustee saw a requirement for a new attestation form, a ban on electronic tabulators in favour of hand counting, and the addition of political parties to Calgary and Edmonton. This week on West of Centre , host Kathleen Petty is joined by journalist and editor of...
Oct 24, 2025•39 min•Season 7Ep. 261
