Podcasts · News

West of Centre

CBC

159 episodes

Canada is complicated. Alberta has opinions. Ride shotgun with host Kathleen Petty on West of Centre for conversations about the state of politics in Canada, as power and influence shifts West. Whether you live here or just can't look away, you’ll get the no-nonsense analysis you need to make sense of it all.

Episodes page 1 of 4

  1. Was this referendum worth it? We ask Danielle Smith

    · 30 min · S9 E306

    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…

  2. Referendum results: Alberta votes to remain

    · 8:09 · S8 E305

    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…

  3. CFB Wainwright tragedy + the final Alberta referendum push (via Front Burner)

    · 55 min

    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…

  4. Alberta voters on where they stand and what comes next

    · 30 min · S8 E304

    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…

  5. Win or lose, is Alberta separatism here to stay?

    · 32 min · S8 E303

    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…

  6. Pacific Link: A pipeline in whose interest?

    · 32 min · S8 E302

    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.…

  7. Alberta’s data centre push is trouble for Danielle Smith

    · 30 min · S8 E301

    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…

  8. How Alberta’s federalist push is lagging

    · 30 min · S8 E300

    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…

  9. Alberta separatists think they’ll win. Polls project a loss

    · 31 min · S8 E299

    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…

  10. Too friendly to resist: Danielle Smith’s U.S. diplomacy

    · 31 min · S7 E298

    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…

  11. Trailer: Welcome to West of Centre

    · 2:12 · Trailer

    New to West of Centre? Start here to hear what we're all about.

  12. West of Centre on CBC Radio

    · 1:11 · Bonus

    An exciting announcement about a new way to listen to West of Centre, starting this fall.

  13. Is a trade war good for separatists?

    · 29 min · S7 E297

    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…

  14. A new era of politics in Alberta?

    · 26 min · S7 E296

    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"…

  15. The Prairies senators: ‘We can’t do stupid stuff’ (Encore)

    · 46 min

    **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…

  16. The Firewall Letter - 25 years later (Encore)

    · 32 min

    **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…

  17. The Coutts Diaries (Encore)

    · 35 min

    **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…

  18. 'We're not dealing with normal'

    · 33 min · S7 E295

    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,…

  19. It's all about the math

    · 34 min · S7 E294

    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…

  20. Big tent party

    · 39 min · S7 E293

    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…

  21. 'It's always Band-Aids'

    · 34 min

    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,…

  22. Mixed messages in the argument for federalism

    · 38 min · S7 E291

    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…

  23. 'The art of humility'

    · 31 min · S7 E290

    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…

  24. 'Primordial politics'

    · 34 min · S7 E289

    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…

  25. Door No. 1 or Door No. 2

    · 40 min · S7 E288

    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…

  26. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat

    · 38 min · S7 E287

    '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…

  27. Separation anxiety

    · 32 min · S7 E286

    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…

  28. 'One way or another'

    · 40 min · S7 E285

    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…

  29. Where to draw the line?

    · 42 min · S7 E284

    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…

  30. Pushing boundaries

    · 37 min · S7 E283

    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…

  31. ‘The federal NDP is irrelevant’

    · 38 min · S7 E282

    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…

  32. The Firewall Letter - 25 years later

    · 32 min · S7 E281

    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…

  33. The Prairies senators: ‘We can’t do stupid stuff’

    · 47 min · S7 E280

    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…

  34. War in Iran: What does it mean for Canadian oil?

    · 33 min · S7 E279

    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…

  35. ‘Bizarro world’: Why is Liberal support rising in Alberta?

    · 32 min · S7 E278

    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,…

  36. Unpacking Alberta's 2026 budget

    · 43 min · S7 E277

    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…

  37. Referendum Madness!

    · 49 min · S7 E276

    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…

  38. The Coutts Diaries

    · 35 min · S7 E275

    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…

  39. A West of Centre twofer: the citizens’ panel, plus energy insiders

    · 54 min · S7 E274

    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…

  40. The road ahead for the CPC

    · 36 min · S7 E273

    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…

  41. Alberta: destination separation

    · 41 min · S7 E272

    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…

  42. Can the Carney-Smith good vibes last?

    · 53 min · S7 E271

    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…

  43. Venezuela fallout: 'We have to stop being such boy scouts in Canada'

    · 48 min · S7 E270

    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…

  44. The Quiz Show

    · 50 min · S7 E269

    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…

  45. Breaking Point: ‘This is a very problematic time in Canadian history’

    · 39 min · S7 E268

    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…

  46. The ‘La-La-La We Can’t Hear You’ Act of 2025

    · 47 min · S7 E267

    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…

  47. 'What was impossible is now possible, if not yet probable'

    · 45 min · S7 E266

    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…

  48. Is it time to destigmatize the word 'privatize'?

    · 46 min · S7 E265

    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…

  49. ‘Smith has created a poison pill for herself’

    · 45 min · S7 E264

    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"…

  50. 'Democratic reform is for losers'

    · 47 min · S7 E263

    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…

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