West of Centre
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West of Centre
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.
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Breaking Point: ‘This is a very problematic time in Canadian history’
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...
The ‘La-La-La We Can’t Hear You’ Act of 2025
For the second time this year, Alberta’s UCP government is lowering the barriers for citizen-led referendum questions while also stripping the Chief E...
'What was impossible is now possible, if not yet probable'
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 pipe...
Is it time to destigmatize the word 'privatize'?
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...
‘Smith has created a poison pill for herself’
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...
'Democractic reform is for losers'
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...
'A shock to the political system in Alberta'
Alberta’s UCP government used the biggest hammer in its toolbox this week to force teachers back to work.
The provincial governmen...
'It's a real problem for democracy'
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...
Not a normal strike
No gold stars this week for either the Government of Alberta or the Alberta Teachers' Association, as both sides have failed to strike a potential dea...
Dodging and diplomacy
There are now two proposed pipelines without private proponents on the table. The first: Alberta's idea for a bitumen pipeline to northern British Col...
Danielle Smith's 'choose your own adventure'
Alberta is laying the groundwork for a new bitumen pipeline to B.C.'s northwest coast. But Danielle Smith's government's plan isn't just about a pipel...
Is 'pragmatism' good climate policy?
Is “pragmatism” a good principle when it comes to tackling climate change? What does this big buzzword adopted by the Prime Minister and others in his...
Licence to divide
The Alberta government is making headlines with its plan to add a “CAN” citizenship marker to driver’s licences, a move Premier Danielle Smith says wi...
Short: Party politics hits city hall
This fall, Calgary and Edmonton voters will face a first in Alberta history: municipal candidates backed by political parties.
The provincial go...
No pipeline, no problem... For now
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first five “nation-building” projects are out — but there’s no oil pipeline, at least not yet. Alberta Premier Danielle S...
West of Centre goes on summer break
Even Alberta politics needs a pause now and then. While there are no new episodes in August, we'll be back in September, ready to dive headfirst into...
Buckle up, Alberta! 2025 ain't over yet
More than halfway through a turbulent political year, Alberta sits at the crossroads of a global trade war, a federal-provincial power struggle and a...
Short: Deal or no deal in Trump's new world order
As the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches, Donald Trump’s administration is threatening to hike tariffs on non-CUSMA-compliant Canadian goods from 25 to...
Less fire and more finesse
In the dead of summer, a shift in tone appears to be taking hold between Canada’s premiers and the prime minister.
On this week’s West of Centre...
Short: The problem with GDP per capita
Canada’s sluggish gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has been branded an economic “emergency.” Yet the headline figure could soon rise even if Pr...
What these Alberta Next town halls are trying to sell
The Alberta Next tour is only two stops in and critics already say it feels less like a neutral consultation than a sales exercise for provincial move...
Short: Indigenous chief warns of fallout over carbon capture project
A northern Alberta First Nations leader is raising concerns about a proposed $16-billion carbon capture project, warning his community could pursue le...
Pancakes, pipeline and Poilievre
Can Pierre Poilievre survive the summer — and is a new oil pipeline imminent? Those questions are fuelling chatter on rooftop patios, at pancake break...
Short: The prolonged calm before the next oil price swing
Despite wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, a resurgent Donald Trump threatening global trade, and the world increasing supply, crude prices haven’t...
Aspiration meets reality for Mark Carney
Aspiration is meeting reality for Prime Minister Mark Carney, as the pressures of governing expose the risks of his sky-high campaign promises.
...
Short: The case for bolstering defence capability in the North
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...
Alberta Next or Alberta Nexit?
Premier Danielle Smith is pitching her “Alberta Next” roadshow as a grassroots consultation, but critics say its six survey questions steer Albertans...
Short: Separatists fail first test, but slow march to referendum continues
The results of Alberta’s three byelections delivered a largely status quo outcome, but with some notable undercurrents. In Edmonton-Strathcona, NDP Le...
Bonus: In search of separatists in Alberta
Ahead of three Alberta provincial byelections on June 23, West of Centre is sharing a special bonus episode from our colleagues at Front Burner.
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What's next for Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives
The federal election may be over, but Pierre Poilievre is not done campaigning. After losing his longtime seat in the Ottawa region, the Conservative...
Short: Alberta faces wave of looming strikes
Alberta is facing the prospect of its largest coordinated public-sector labour disruption in decades, with tens of thousands of workers poised to stri...
Making sense of Alberta's economic puzzle
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 p...
Short: Why Alberta's renewable energy sector isn't rushing to build more solar and wind
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 prov...
Pipeline politics return with familiar gridlock
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...
New Parliament, new tone, new promises
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 the...
Short: Albertans like a fighter. Right now, that's Danielle Smith
Danielle Smith’s extended political honeymoon, Naheed Nenshi’s lukewarm debut, and Alberta’s identity crisis — all captured in a fresh batch of pollin...
A different former Bay Street executive makes his pitch to the West
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...
Short: Measles, mistrust and mixed messages
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 Centr...
New cabinet, old grievances signal rough road ahead for Carney
Will the Liberal government — somewhat refreshed with a few new faces — help reset Ottawa’s strained relationship with the West? That’s the central qu...
Short: NDP rebuild could hinge on strength in the West
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....