Podcasts · West of Centre

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

6 Mar 2026 · 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, West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined by Éric Grenier, a premier Canadian polls analyst and founder of The Writ; and David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, whose latest online survey reinforces the idea that the increase in Liberal support in Alberta isn’t a blip.

Multiple polls since the start of the year show the gap between the federal Conservatives and the federal Liberals is narrowing. According to Grenier, it's a trend that’s leaving people scratching their heads.

Coletto outlines why Prime Minister Mark Carney’s popularity is a primary driver and marvels at the ‘bizarro world’ in which the country finds itself — with a prime minister from Alberta who speaks of the province’s virtues while selling Canada as a stable source of energy. If the numbers hold, he also wonders if Alberta could transition from a ‘flyover’ province to a potential federal battleground.

• Host: Kathleen Petty • Guests: David Coletto, Éric Grenier • Producer: Diane Yanko