West of Centre

A usually routine process to draw new riding maps has become politically charged in Alberta after the governing UCP tossed an independent report months in the making. A second report, supported by Danielle Smith’s government, splits apart some urban ridings, adds in more rural voters and appears to favour future UCP wins. Host Kathleen Petty speaks with political scientist Greg Anderson about how...

On Power & Politics , host David Cochrane asks decision-makers the questions that matter – and gets answers. Every weekday, we feature hard-hitting interviews with politicians and leaders, check in with CBC’s top political journalists for updates on breaking stories, and take the time to analyze the latest developments with a cast of regular panelists and critical thinkers.  This episode...

A conservative alliance between B.C. premier-designate Lorne Doerkson and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith seems likely, but isn’t guaranteed. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty looks at past frosty relationships between conservative Alberta and B.C. premiers who argued over the failed Northern Gateway pipeline. With a new pipeline priority, Pacific Link, will the outcome be different? Add in a cons...

Premier Danielle Smith joins host Kathleen Petty after a divisive Alberta referendum. Albertans are clear on their desire to remain a province of Canada. But parts of the province, and Smith’s own party, remain at odds. Separatists still hold United Conservative Party memberships. The premier says they should find a new party. But can she kick them out? And will she? Also, Smith did not get a mand...

CBC projects a clear majority of Albertans have voted to remain a province of Canada, rejecting a second, binding referendum on separation. The results were delayed to around 11 p.m. MT, as some polling stations were open later than expected.  Host Kathleen Petty is joined by CBC senior reporter Alex Boyd to break down what is known about the early, unofficial results. They look at the percep...

Front Burner host, Jayme Poisson travels to Edmonton to take you inside two rallies where campaigners for a united Canada – and campaigners for Alberta independence – make their last pitch to voters before Monday's referendum.  Plus, what we know about the deadly fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta that left four service members dead and at least 19 in critical condition.  Front Burner is...

Premier Danielle Smith says she’s heard plenty from pundits, commentators and political actors ahead of this referendum. Now it's time to hear from Albertans themselves. This week on West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty talks with voters about the process and their feelings as they cast their ballots. One voter, who works in the energy sector, says she is done with Confederation and ready for an in...

Premier Danielle Smith wants to “vote and move on” but is that even possible? For separatists like Mitch Sylvestre, this referendum on Alberta’s future might not be the end. With an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots requested, Sylvestre says he has cause to be suspicious if his side doesn’t get at least 40 per cent support. Host Kathleen Petty and CBC senior reporter Julia Wong look at the s...

The Carney government says a West Coast pipeline — now called Pacific Link — is a key nation-building project and essential to the country’s economic future. It's a hard-won victory for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. But what’s in it for the rest of Canada? Are they buying what Mark Carney is selling?  West of Centre host Kathleen Petty hears from residents in the heart of oil country — Fort...

New polling shows AI data centres in Alberta are a political problem for the UCP government. We hear from voters in the heart of conservative country who are saying “no” to these mega-projects near their farmland. As Technology Minister Nate Glubish tries to sell Albertans on the strategy to woo tech giants – including Meta – at a series of hostile town halls, many voters aren’t buying into the pl...

It’s crunch time to sway conservative voters ahead of Alberta’s referendum. But are federalist leaders doing enough? So far, separatists have reported raising nearly three times as much money as federalists and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pushed the unity file to another Alberta MP. Host Kathleen Petty and former Conservative MP Damien Kurek look at what needs to happen in the final w...

Separatists think they’ll win a vote they’re poised to lose by a wide margin, according to an exclusive new poll. With a little more than five weeks to go before Alberta’s fall referendum, host Kathleen Petty explains how the heck we got here and where we’re headed next. David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, does a deep dive into Alberta public opinion. His numbers say if the referendum was held toda...

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are using very different tactics in the ongoing Canada-U.S. trade war. As Smith travels to Nashville, we ask whether her kill them with kindness approach is working. And Alberta’s senior representative in Washington, Nathan Cooper, weighs in on the delicate dance of diplomacy in Donald Trump’s America. To put it all in context, two conse...

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Putting oil and gas on the bargaining table as the U.S.-Canada trade war heats up would pour gasoline on Alberta’s fall referendum. At least that’s what one separatist leader, Keith Wilson, is arguing. This week we ask Wilson why he thinks the trade war means Albertans should push for a binding referendum on separation in October. After that, journalists Tyler Dawson from the Globe and Mail and th...

From how we entered confederation to how Alberta is debating its future within it, a new book tries to anticipate where the province is headed. "The Dawn of Competitive Party Politics in Alberta: An End To Solitude" explores the enigma that is Alberta and pulls back the curtain. Anthony Sayers, David Stewart and Royce Koop provide a revelatory journey through how the province has defined itself po...

**New episode drops Friday, August 21** ENCORE PRESENTATION  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...

**New episode drops Friday, August 21** ENCORE PRESENTATION  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...

**New episode drops Friday, August 21** ENCORE PRESENTATION 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...

As Canada stares down the barrel of fresh U.S. tariffs (50 per cent), there is a realization that the counter-strategies that succeeded in President Donald Trump's first term won't cut it today. For our expert panel, the power to change Trump's mind won't come down to the federal government or Prime Minister Mark Carney. Instead, the pressure will come from America's voters, businesses and politic...

A non-binding trilateral agreement to advance the multibillion-dollar Pathways Project, as part of the push to build a new bitumen pipeline to B.C.'s southwest coast, has now been reached. But in this episode of the podcast, there are serious questions about the math: on emissions, economics, and business case. Host Kathleen Petty is joined this week by three journalists who have all been analyzin...

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and several prominent federal Conservatives, including leader Pierre Poilievre, had a showdown with Calgary's mayor over a local noise bylaw. It was a master class in political communication by Jeromy Farkas, according to one panellist, in a battle with the Conservative political machine over how long and how loudly people are allowed to party in the Stampede city. S...

About 3.4 million Albertans are eligible to receive a $100 energy rebate. The provincial government says the cash will bring meaningful relief from the pain of the cost of living. But for some on this week's episode, the move doesn't cure what's causing affordability issues in the province. This week, host Kathleen Petty is joined by The Hub's Alberta Edge podcast panellists. Falice Chin, Alberta...

Danielle Smith uses the energy MOU has Exhibit A in her argument for remaining in Canada. Pierre Poilievre uses it as Exhibit A in making his case that the federal government is failing Alberta. Our guests worry that divisions over how to battle separatism could fracture the provincial conservatives and even pose problems for federal conservatives. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by two people with...