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.
Premier Danielle Smith will once again be MLA Danielle Smith. The UCP leader won her byelection in Brooks-Medicine Hat this week and we’re about to see exactly what is on Smith’s legislative agenda for the rest of 2022. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Kelly Cryderman from the Globe and Mail, Melissa Caouette of MC Consulting and freeland columnist Graham Thomson.
A rough start for Alberta's new premier has her challenger in majority territory. CBC has exclusive new polling on the provincial horse race and insights on how Albertans feel about the path the provincial government is on. This week, host Kathleen Petty is joined by Janet Brown of Janet Brown Opinion Research, Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, and Jason Markusoff, CBC Calgary’s analysis and opinion producer.
Alberta’s election is still more than half a year away, but the campaign is unofficially on. The final two months of 2022 promise to be busy ones, including a throne speech and the likely introduction of the Sovereignty Act. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Zain Velji, a partner at Northweather, Mandi Johnson from Crestview Strategy, and Alex Boyd with the Toronto Star.
Once a premier, again a premier? That full circle is what NDP leader Rachel Notley is aiming for. This weekend we’ll get some clues about her strategy. The UCP and the NDP are both holding their annual conventions this weekend. What is the path to victory for the opposition as it gets ready for another run at government? Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Cheryl Oates, a principal at GT & Company, Keith McLaughlin, a partner at New West Public Affairs, and Leah Ward, the director of campaigns at M...
The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan are upping the ante with the federal government. Danielle Smith is preparing her Sovereignty Act. Scott Moe wants more economic autonomy. Are prairie politics now about pushback? This week host Kathleen Petty is joined by Jared Wesley, a political scientist at the University of Alberta, Regina Leader-Post Columnist Murray Mandryk, and pollster and political analyst Janet Brown.
Danielle Smith is now the leader of the United Conservative Party and will be the next premier of Alberta. Her victory changes the landscape of the party and the province. This week, host Kathleen Petty is joined by Kelly Cryderman, a columnist from the Globe and Mail, Corey Hogan, who led communications for Alberta's government under two premiers and CBC Calgary's analysis producer, Jason Markusoff to talk about what comes next for the UCP and for Alberta.
The final stretch is here. We’re less than a week away from the vote that will determine the next United Conservative Party Leader — and Alberta premier. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by three conservative strategists to talk about what we’ve learned from the race and what might happen after the results are announced. Mandi Johnson is with Crestview Strategy, Melissa Caouette runs a private consulting business, and Michael Solberg is a partner at New West Public Affairs.
There are two weeks left in the race to replace Premier Jason Kenney. The United Conservative Party will pick its new leader on October 6 and that person will become Alberta’s next premier. Where do things stand in these final days and what happens next? Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell, Carrie Tait from the Globe and Mail, and conservative strategist and lawyer Karamveer Lalh.
Canada’s prairies are getting more diverse, but the region's politics still don't reflect that diversity. In West of Centre's live season premiere at the Prairie Political Science Association's conference, host Kathleen Petty sits down with Jared Wesley from the University of Alberta, former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi and Gina Starblanket from the University of Victoria to discuss diversity on the prairies and how things are shifting.
West of Centre is live on location at the Alberta Relaunch conference hosting a panel discussing the future of Alberta, its politics and energy policy. Kathleen Petty is joined for this season finale by Vassy Kapelos, host of Power & Politics, Zain Velji from Northweather, Kelly Cryderman of the Globe and Mail, and Matt Solberg from New West Public Affairs.
You’ve heard of the glass ceiling, but what about a glass cliff? This week, we’re talking about the UCP leadership race, the field of female candidates, and the factors they may have to confront. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Lisa Young, a political scientist from the University of Calgary, Rishi Nagar, the news director at RED FM and Taleesha Thorogood from Crestview Strategy.
Alberta could find itself with a massive surplus this year, well into the multi-billions. That would crush previous records and lead to some big decisions for Alberta’s next premier. On this week’s episode of West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty unpacks that with University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe, Globe and Mail energy reporter Emma Graney and Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt.
The field of candidates seeking to lead the United Conservative Party is quickly expanding — Minister of Transportation Rajan Sawhney is said to be in and rumours swirl around Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner jumping in, too. Host Kathleen Petty digs into what comes next along with Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell, Erika Barootes from Enterprise Canada and the former president of the UCP and Michael Solberg, a partner with New West Public Affairs and a former Harper Conservative staffer.
What can Canadian conservatives learn from Doug Ford’s winning campaign? The Progressive Conservative leader won a second straight majority government on Thursday, a dramatic turnaround for a premier whose political future seemed far from certain during his first two years in office. What did Ford do right, and where did Alberta Premier Jason Kenney get it wrong? Host Kathleen Petty is joined by the Gandalf Group's David Herle, who also hosts The Herle Burly and Curse of Politics, pollster Janet...
Alberta conservatives are getting ready to leave Jason Kenney behind — but who will take the baton? There’s speculation that Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews may seek the UCP leadership, and he would join a field that already includes former Wildrose leader Danielle Smith and Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche MLA Brian Jean. Host Jim Brown is joined by guests Melissa Caouette of Melissa Caouette Consulting, Blaise Boehmer from NATIONAL Public Relations and political columnist Jen Gerson from The L...
So … now what? On Wednesday, Jason Kenney announced he would resign as Alberta premier after receiving 51.4 per cent support from the party in a leadership vote. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by the CBC’s Jason Markusoff, Kelly Cryderman from the Globe and Mail and freelance columnist Graham Thomson to discuss what comes next for the United Conservative Party — and for the province.
Saskatchewan has undergone a massive shift on the political spectrum over many decades. In it, there are some lessons for its neighbour to the west. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Dale Eisler, author of From Left to Right, to talk about that political transformation and what Alberta and Canada can learn from it.
A leadership debate and a leadership review. Premier Jason Kenney came up at a conservative conference that was also hosting the first debate for Conservative Party leadership candidates – a debate full of attacks and acrimony. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Alex Boyd from the Toronto Star, Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell and Corey Hogan from The Strategists to discuss how the events in the national party and Kenney’s provincial party reflect on the conservative movement.
Close friends and allies sometimes need a little push. A $3.7-million-dollar push, to be exact. Alberta’s government is spending that money on advertising, public relations and communications contracts south of the border. This week, Alberta’s representative to the U.S. James Rajotte and Maryscott Greenwood from Crestview Strategy and the Canadian American Business Council join host Kathleen Petty to talk about Alberta’s relationship with the U.S. and how that fits in with the political scene in...
Alberta’s premier and governing party have spent two years combating scandals, bad polling and a pandemic – but what has the official opposition been up to? This week, guest host Jim Brown is joined by Leah Ward from Metric Strategies, Keith McLaughlin from New West Public Affairs and Lisa Young from the University of Calgary to talk about Alberta’s NDP and what the party’s strategy is as we slowly tick down to the next election.
Premier Jason Kenney’s leadership review vote is underway and UCP members are sending in ballots to decide whether he stays or goes. This week, host Kathleen Petty is joined by Erika Barootes from Enterprise Canada and the former president of the UCP, and Vitor Marciano, a key advisor to former Wildrose leader Brian Jean, to debate the question of the party’s leadership and future.
The federal budget contained billions in new spending on a carbon capture tax credit for the oil and gas industry – details released the same week as the kick-off for Premier Jason Kenney’s leadership review. This week host Kathleen Petty sits down with Gary Mar, president of the Canada West Foundation, Kelly Cryderman, a reporter at the Globe and Mail, and Lori Williams, a political scientist from Mount Royal University.
The federal government has announced its plan to slash emissions by 2030. Alberta’s government says it’s a bad joke, the opposition NDP call it a fantasy and the prime minister insists it’s ambitious yet achievable. So which is it? This week, host Kathleen Petty is joined by Calgary Chamber of Commerce President Deb Yedlin, Sara Hastings-Simon, an expert in energy transitions from the University of Calgary and Tracy Johnson, head of CBC Calgary’s business unit.
This week saw major changes to the United Conservative Party’s leadership review, moving it to mail-in ballots after more than 15,000 people signed up to decide the fate of Premier Jason Kenney. More information came out about allegations dating back to the last UCP leadership race and the very next day a recording of Kenney speaking to staff was leaked. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Maclean’s journalist Jason Markusoff, Carolyn Dunn from CBC Calgary, and Duane Bratt, a political scientist at...
Brian Jean is back, re-entering the party of his political rival at a critical crossroads for Premier Jason Kenney. The United Conservative Party leadership review is scheduled for April 9 and both sides are pushing thousands of members to show up to vote. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Blaise Boehmer from NATIONAL Public Relations, Rishi Nagar from RED FM and Janet Brown from Janet Brown Opinion Research to talk about what that momentum means for Kenney and what else could we see in the lead ...
Political tensions at home and a military invasion abroad. This week, host Kathleen Petty is joined by Zain Velji from Northweather, Taleesha Thorogood from Fasken Law and Duane Bratt from Mount Royal University to talk about Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s approaching leadership review, the upcoming federal Conservative leadership race, Alberta’s energy security pitch amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and how those three issues all relate back to leadership.
Alberta is projecting something not seen in years: A balanced budget, with plans for surpluses. Finance Minister Travis Toews says oil prices play a huge role in that rebound, but what do the outsized contributions of oil and gas mean for future economic stability? Host Kathleen Petty is joined by University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe, the Globe and Mail's energy reporter Emma Graney and political columnist Rick Bell from the Calgary Sun to dissect Budget 2022.
Leaders have talked about “living with COVID” for months, but what does it really mean? Alberta and Saskatchewan are the first provinces to remove vaccine passports in the country, with more restrictions planned to lift in the coming weeks. This week, host Kathleen Petty sits down with Evan Menzies, the former director of communication for the United Conservative Party, Leah Ward, NDP leader Rachel Notley’s previous communications chief, and Murray Mandryk, a long-time columnist at the Regina Le...
The convoy protests in Ottawa and at the Alberta-Montana border have been going on for a week. Nestled into those noisy days, Conservative Party MPs overthrew leader Erin O’Toole. This week, host Kathleen Petty talks about those two huge stories in Canadian politics with former Conservative cabinet minister Monte Solberg, Jared Wesley from the University of Alberta and the Globe and Mail’s Kelly Cryderman.
Conservative parties in Canada often struggle to stay united, and the federal and provincial parties today are no exception. This week, host Kathleen Petty and her panel discuss conservatism in Canada and the future of leaders like federal leader Erin O’Toole and Premier Jason Kenney. West of Centre is joined this week by Taleesha Thorogood, a federal Conservative political strategist, Blaise Boehmer, a former senior staffer in Alberta’s UCP government, and Corey Hogan from the Strategists podca...
