For years, Canadians have listened to Trump supporters boasting: “Make America great again.” And most have sat quietly and done nothing. Not anymore. Threats of U.S. tariffs and annexation have sparked a wave of patriotism across Canada. Former Alberta premier and federal cabinet minister Jason Kenney joins West of Centre to reflect on this moment, discussing with host Jason Markusoff what it reveals about nation-building, national security, Canada's economic strengths, and the steps needed to m...
Feb 07, 2025•43 min•Ep 205•Transcript available on Metacast Tariffs today, tariffs tomorrow, or tariffs on April 1? As Donald Trump keeps Canada guessing, Ottawa scrambles to prepare a response. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is spotlighting border security, while federal leaders hint at a bailout package for businesses and workers — echoing pandemic-era relief. Speaking of pandemic flashbacks, Alberta’s COVID response task force report is stirring old debates on masking, vaccines and government overreach. This week, conservative policy advisor Ken Boess...
Jan 31, 2025•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast What might a federal relief package for industries and workers look like if Ottawa is preparing for devastating U.S. tariffs? Federal Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc visited Calgary to meet with business leaders and Premier Danielle Smith. In this new supplemental segment called West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown asks LeBlanc how a federal plan might take shape, whether the Liberals are rethinking regulatory hurdles for oil and gas infrastructure, and sneaks in a...
Jan 28, 2025•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Political and business leaders are expressing caution about Canada’s potential use of retaliatory tariffs in response to Donald Trump’s renewed trade threats. Critics warn that Canada’s economic leverage may fall short, risking significant harm to key industries. The premiers appear divided on the issue, despite Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s insistence that “country comes first.” In Trump’s first week as the 47th president of the United States, West of Centre host Kathleen Petty explores the impli...
Jan 24, 2025•42 min•Ep 202•Transcript available on Metacast Danielle Smith charts her own path through choppy waters. Ahead of the first ministers' meeting in Ottawa, the Alberta premier heads to Mar-a-Lago to meet Donald Trump, then refuses to back a united Canadian response to a potential trade war. While Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls for the country to use “every tool in our toolbox" against the proposed American tariffs on Canadian goods, Smith draws a hard line — Alberta won’t agree to restrict energy exports. With national unity on the brink, Wes...
Jan 17, 2025•48 min•Ep 201•Transcript available on Metacast The Liberal Party of Canada is under immense pressure to select a new leader in record time — two months. Parliament is prorogued while Trump’s threats over tariffs and Canadian sovereignty ramp up. Who will actually want to lead a party in turmoil into what could be a massive defeat in the next federal election? Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Ian Brodie, former chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper; Martha Hall Findlay, who ran against Justin Trudeau in the last Liberal party leader...
Jan 10, 2025•49 min•Ep 200•Transcript available on Metacast A UCP leadership review. A shifting conversation on the border, brought on by Donald Trump’s tariff threats. Naheed Nenshi taking the reins of the NDP, and the new fight ticket heading into the next provincial election. And that’s just to name a few of the big Alberta political stories this year. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Zain Velji from Northweather, Alex Boyd from the Toronto Star and the CBC’s Jason Markusoff to reflect on the dizzying pace of politics in 2024. Plus, conversation aroun...
Dec 19, 2024•42 min•Ep 199•Transcript available on Metacast When Donald Trump refers to the “great state “of Canada and threatens 25 percent tariffs, there’s bound to be a strong reaction. Ontario wants to retaliate. Alberta wants to negotiate. Also on the pod, Rachel Notley resigns her Edmonton seat and several bizarre references to “horse hands”.Panelists include Keith McLaughlin, Lisa Young and Erika Barootes.
Dec 13, 2024•43 min•Ep 198•Transcript available on Metacast Alberta appears finished with “cash cow” photo radar. The province announced a big cut in “fishing holes”. And the UCP government was fishing for support for a Sovereignty Act motion against the federal emissions cap. The NDP did not bite. West of Centre guests this week are Carrie Tait, Rick Bell and Lori Williams.
Dec 06, 2024•47 min•Ep 197•Transcript available on Metacast The President-elect has threatened a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods in an effort to stop illegal drugs and migrants from getting into the U.S. Danielle Smith has jumped on board. Also on the pod, the escalating battle between Alberta and Ottawa over the federal emissions cap and using the Sovereignty Act to fight it. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Janet Brown, Alex Boyd and Corey Hogan.
Nov 29, 2024•46 min•Ep 196•Transcript available on Metacast A car insurance overhaul, a fiscal update, and the appointment of a new chair at AIMCo. Finance Minister Nate Horner is behind all of it. And he faced some tough questions about a big jump in insurance rates and a possible budget deficit next year. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Emma Graney, Zain Velji and Evan Menzies.
Nov 22, 2024•44 min•Ep 195•Transcript available on Metacast The Alberta government cleaned house at AIMCo by firing the board and putting itself in charge. What’s next for the pension fund that also manages the Heritage Savings Trust Fund? And we discuss shifting climate change policy with the election of Donald Trump. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Lisa Young, Jason Markusoff and Michael Solberg.
Nov 15, 2024•45 min•Ep 194•Transcript available on Metacast What does a Trump presidency mean for Alberta? With talk of a 10 percent tariff on U.S. imports ,including Alberta energy and agriculture, many are wondering just how special our relationship is with our neighbours to the south. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty speaks with James Rajotte , Alberta’s Senior Representative in Washington.
Nov 08, 2024•45 min•Ep 193•Transcript available on Metacast On the West of Centre podcast, the federal Liberal’s pivot on immigration while Alberta calls for even larger cuts. And Danielle Smith is slalom skiing her way through both leading Albertans and trying to appease her party at a leadership review. Joining host and admitted snow plower Kathleen Petty are pollster Janet Brown, strategist Corey Hogan and writer Alex Boyd
Oct 25, 2024•47 min•Ep 192•Transcript available on Metacast West of Centre explores the Alberta campaign to scrap the federal cap on oil and gas emissions. Also on the pod, a Bloc Quebecois bill that’s got Alberta beef producers worried about trade negotiations, and election campaign rules are about to change under Bill 20. Joining host Kathleen Petty is Kelly Cryderman, Jason Markusoff and Stephen Carter.
Oct 18, 2024•47 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast Alberta is flanked on both sides by close elections. Saskatchewan and BC will vote soon. And there’s the possibility of a federal election at any time. What do all of these ballot battles mean to Alberta and how the UCP and NDP manage their messages?. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by strategists Keith Mclaughlin and Evan Menzies and Carrie Tait of the Globe and Mail.
Oct 11, 2024•41 min•Ep 190•Transcript available on Metacast The premier's fall agenda includes boosting the rights of the vaccine-averse and a slew of new rules for transgender youth. But the idea that got Alberta talking this week was Danielle Smith's run-in with chemtrails at a party event. With a leadership review coming, is it all about the UCP base? Guest host Jason Markusoff is joined by Erika Barootes, Zain Velji and Emma Graney.
Oct 04, 2024•52 min•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast West of Centre takes a deep dive into the role of municipalities in confederation. Alberta’s cities may be booming, but are they getting the respect they deserve? Municipal politicians say they aren’t. One of them joins us - Edmonton's Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. Then Senators Paula Simons and Brent Cotter with details of a new report on the "constitutional Cinderellas of Canada".
Sep 27, 2024•50 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast Alberta called for newcomers, but too many answered. Is Trudeau to blame for a surging population and the need for more schools? Also, our amateur transit planners muse about a new name for the doomed Green Line. And speaking of doomed, the carbon tax has veered off the road into the ditch. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Kelly Cryderman, Corey Hogan and Lisa Young.
Sep 20, 2024•47 min•Ep 187•Transcript available on Metacast Ms. Smith’s summer road trip took her across the province to town halls with UCP supporters. And we got some hints about her government’s direction this fall. But should big policy discussions be held behind closed doors?. Joining West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is Shannon Phillips, former Lethbridge NDP MLA and now with Meredith, Boessenkool and Phillips Policy Advisors. Evan Menzies is with Crestview Strategy and is former Director of Communications w...
Sep 13, 2024•40 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast Alberta's next provincial election is more than three years away, but with a new NDP leader, it's not going to be a quiet political summer. NDP strategists Keith McLaughlin and Cheryl Oates, along with CBC Calgary writer Jason Markusoff, join West of Centre host Kathleen Petty to discuss why “politics has no chill” in Alberta — especially now with Naheed Nenshi at the NDP helm. Nenshi is asked to clarify his position on federal climate policies and their impact in Alberta — including if he'd con...
Jun 28, 2024•47 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast As the provincial political campaign begins a slow burn toward the fall election in British Columbia, the governing B.C. NDP are heading into the summer with a comfortable lead in the polls ahead of their two rival, centre-right parties. But momentum is suddenly building for the B.C. Conservatives, with the party snatching candidates from the opposition B.C. United (formerly known as the British Columbia Liberal Party). What matters more to B.C. United, according to one of West of Centre’s guest...
Jun 21, 2024•51 min•Ep 184•Transcript available on Metacast Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre opposes the government’s capital gains inclusion rate increase, and he stands firm in his refusal to get a security clearance to review the unredacted national security report that’s causing a cloud of suspicion to hang over Parliament. CBC Parliamentary Bureau senior writer Aaron Wherry and University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young join West of Centre host Kathleen Petty to discuss the strategy behind Poilievre’s positions. But fir...
Jun 14, 2024•51 min•Ep 183•Transcript available on Metacast The spring sitting of the Saskatchewan legislature went out with a bang. The Opposition NDP is calling for a government committee to meet and appoint an investigator in the wake of allegations made last month by the Speaker against former House leader Jeremy Harrison. He initially denied bringing a long gun into the legislature nearly 10 years ago, but has since admitted family helped jog his memory, and the allegation is indeed true. There are further complaints that will reverberate into the s...
Jun 07, 2024•46 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast An ambitious spring sitting in the Alberta Legislature has resulted in 13 bills passed by the UCP government over 14 weeks. One of the many approved powers enhances the government’s authority to remove municipal councillors or overturn bylaws. This week’s panel dissecting the “pothole politics” coming out of this busy spring sitting are CBC provincial affairs reporter Janet French, Catherine Griwkowsky of political newsletter Alberta Today and the Globe & Mail’s Kelly Cryderman.
May 31, 2024•50 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve assembled a panel of number nerds to dissect our CBC news poll which shows support for the UCP remains roughly the same as it did when the party was elected nearly a year ago. But the NDP is not far behind. Pollster Janet Brown breaks down the numbers along with the CBC’s Jason Markusoff and Duane Bratt of Mount Royal University.
May 24, 2024•44 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast The path to net zero by 2050 by the oilsands industry is being spearheaded by what’s known as the Pathways Alliance. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Derek Evans, the newly appointed executive chair of Pathways and the former CEO of Meg Energy, to discuss the industry's long-awaited carbon capture and storage project, and what Evans wants to hear from Pierre Poilievre on carbon pricing. Then, Petty is joined by Emma Graney, who specializes in energy reporting for the Globe and Mai...
May 17, 2024•53 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast The UCP government has introduced bill after bill giving it more control over Alberta’s municipalities. Is this flurry of activity a strategy to create chaos by flooding the public with too much, too fast? West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Jeromy Farkas, former Calgary city councillor, pollster Janet Brown and veteran columnist Graham Thomson.
May 10, 2024•49 min•Ep 178•Transcript available on Metacast It’s part of our identity here in Alberta to bicker with whomever is in the Prime Minister’s office, especially if their last name is Trudeau. Stealing a sentiment from Ronald Reagan, the province’s often fear the words; I’m from Ottawa and I’m here to help. But does Alberta’s contentious relationship with Ottawa help or hurt us? West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Ian Brodie from the University of Calgary, David Coletto of Abacus Data and Kelly Cryderman of the Globe and M...
May 03, 2024•53 min•Ep 177•Transcript available on Metacast The UCP government’s Bill 20 could give the province the power to repeal bylaws and remove city councillors from office. On West of Centre with Kathleen Petty, we explore the question of who’s the boss when it comes to how our cities are run? Corey Hogan and Stephen Carter join us from The Strategists podcast. And Emma Graney from the Globe and Mail holds her own.
Apr 26, 2024•51 min•Ep 176•Transcript available on Metacast 
