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 2 of 4

  1. '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…

  2. 'A shock to the political system in Alberta'

    · 44 min · S7 E262

    Alberta’s UCP government used the biggest hammer in its toolbox this week to force teachers back to work. The provincial government invoked the notwithstanding clause, arguing families needed certainty. The move has…

  3. 'It's a real problem for democracy'

    · 39 min · S7 E261

    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 the provincial government for voters casting ballots for mayor,…

  4. Not a normal strike

    · 40 min · Episode 260

    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 deal on a labour dispute that has kept around 750,000 students out of…

  5. Dodging and diplomacy

    · 42 min · S7 E259

    There are now two proposed pipelines without private proponents on the table. The first: Alberta's idea for a bitumen pipeline to northern British Columbia has become a political hot potato. The second, Keystone XL,…

  6. Danielle Smith's 'choose your own adventure'

    · 40 min · S7 E258

    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 pipeline -- it's a test of political will. In this week's episode of…

  7. Is 'pragmatism' good climate policy?

    · 43 min · S7 E257

    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 government even mean, anyway? As the Canadian Climate Institute…

  8. Licence to divide

    · 36 min · S7 E256

    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 will safeguard elections and improve efficiency. At the same time,…

  9. Short: Party politics hits city hall

    · 20 min · S7 E255

    This fall, Calgary and Edmonton voters will face a first in Alberta history: municipal candidates backed by political parties. The provincial government has launched the move as a pilot project, but it’s already…

  10. No pipeline, no problem... For now

    · 49 min · S7 E254

    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 Smith’s unusually upbeat response raised eyebrows, suggesting she may…

  11. Buckle up, Alberta! 2025 ain't over yet

    · 52 min · S6 E253

    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 simmering separatism debate. This week on West of Centre, host Rob…

  12. Short: Deal or no deal in Trump's new world order

    · 30 min · S6 E252

    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 35 per cent, while leaving existing levies on potash and energy…

  13. Less fire and more finesse

    · 49 min · S6 E251

    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, three Alberta-based journalists examine what may be driving Premier…

  14. Short: The problem with GDP per capita

    · 22 min · S6 E250

    Canada’s sluggish gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has been branded an economic “emergency.” Yet the headline figure could soon rise even if Prime Minister Mark Carney does little to spur productivity. Ottawa is…

  15. What these Alberta Next town halls are trying to sell

    · 47 min · S6 E249

    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 moves, including setting up an Alberta pension plan, a provincial police…

  16. Short: Indigenous chief warns of fallout over carbon capture project

    · 14 min · S6 E248

    A northern Alberta First Nations leader is raising concerns about a proposed $16-billion carbon capture project, warning his community could pursue legal action if the federal government fails to properly consult…

  17. Pancakes, pipeline and Poilievre

    · 42 min · S6 E247

    Can Pierre Poilievre survive the summer — and is a new oil pipeline imminent? Those questions are fuelling chatter on rooftop patios, at pancake breakfasts and in political backrooms across Calgary during 10 days of…

  18. Short: The prolonged calm before the next oil price swing

    · 26 min · S6 E246

    Despite wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, a resurgent Donald Trump threatening global trade, and the world increasing supply, crude prices haven’t swung wildly like they once did. In fact, 2024 marked one of the…

  19. Aspiration meets reality for Mark Carney

    · 49 min · S6 E245

    Aspiration is meeting reality for Prime Minister Mark Carney, as the pressures of governing expose the risks of his sky-high campaign promises. The most immediate example is his abrupt reversal on Canada’s digital…

  20. Short: The case for bolstering defence capability in the North

    · 34 min · S6 E244

    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 by 2035. That target framed CBC host Rob Brown’s conversation with…

  21. Alberta Next or Alberta Nexit?

    · 51 min · S6 E243

    Premier Danielle Smith is pitching her “Alberta Next” roadshow as a grassroots consultation, but critics say its six survey questions steer Albertans toward sovereignty-tinged answers. The travelling panel will study…

  22. Short: Separatists fail first test, but slow march to referendum continues

    · 25 min · S6 E242

    The results of Alberta’s three byelections delivered a largely status quo outcome, but with some notable undercurrents. In Edmonton-Strathcona, NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi secured a decisive win, surpassing former leader…

  23. Bonus: In search of separatists in Alberta

    · 50 min · S6 E241 · Bonus

    Ahead of three Alberta provincial byelections on June 23, West of Centre is sharing a special bonus episode from our colleagues at Front Burner. They recently travelled to Three Hills — a town about 130 km northeast…

  24. What's next for Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives

    · 50 min · S6 E240

    The federal election may be over, but Pierre Poilievre is not done campaigning. After losing his longtime seat in the Ottawa region, the Conservative leader is now focused on winning a byelection in rural Alberta—one…

  25. Short: Alberta faces wave of looming strikes

    · 26 min · S6 E239

    Alberta is facing the prospect of its largest coordinated public-sector labour disruption in decades, with tens of thousands of workers poised to strike. Teachers, health-care professionals and government employees…

  26. Making sense of Alberta's economic puzzle

    · 41 min · S6 E238

    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 per capita in the country, wage stagnation and uneven wealth…

  27. Short: Why Alberta's renewable energy sector isn't rushing to build more solar and wind

    · 32 min · S6 E237

    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 province’s renewable sector. And while Premier Danielle Smith is…

  28. Pipeline politics return with familiar gridlock

    · 45 min · S6 E236

    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 potential as an “energy superpower,” and emphasizing the need for…

  29. New Parliament, new tone, new promises

    · 49 min · S6 E235

    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 theatrics that have defined federal politics in recent years. His new…

  30. Short: Albertans like a fighter. Right now, that's Danielle Smith

    · 24 min · S6 E233

    Danielle Smith’s extended political honeymoon, Naheed Nenshi’s lukewarm debut, and Alberta’s identity crisis — all captured in a fresh batch of polling data commissioned by CBC Calgary. On this episode of West of…

  31. A different former Bay Street executive makes his pitch to the West

    · 49 min · S6 E232

    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 Liberal cabinet minister. In this episode of West of Centre, guest…

  32. Short: Measles, mistrust and mixed messages

    · 22 min · S6 E231 · Bonus

    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 Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with University of Calgary health law…

  33. New cabinet, old grievances signal rough road ahead for Carney

    · 54 min · S6 E230

    Will the Liberal government — somewhat refreshed with a few new faces — help reset Ottawa’s strained relationship with the West? That’s the central question in this episode of West of Centre, as host Kathleen Petty is…

  34. Short: NDP rebuild could hinge on strength in the West

    · 21 min · S6 E229 · Bonus

    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. In an interview with CBC host Rob Brown on West of Centre Short,…

  35. Danielle Smith walks a fine line between staying and splitting

    · 48 min · S6 E228

    Is Alberta inching closer to the exit door? Premier Danielle Smith insists she’s a federalist — but her government’s latest moves are making it easier for citizens to trigger a referendum on independence. With fresh…

  36. Short: The Alberta separation question

    · 20 min · S6 E227 · Bonus

    Two-in-five Canadians think Alberta separation is a real possibility — even though most would reject the idea, new polling shows. In the wake of the 2025 federal election, exit polling from Research Co. reveals that…

  37. Carney’s win sparks hope in some, wariness in others

    · 42 min · S6 E226

    Mark Carney’s steady economic message resonated with voters, helping the Liberals secure a fourth consecutive term — though still a minority. But the results have stirred fresh tensions with Alberta, where Premier…

  38. Short: The 'big shift' meets the 'breaking point'

    · 25 min · S6 E225 · Bonus

    In the wake of a federal election that saw the Conservatives defeated once again, despite a notable increase in support, political columnist and author John Ibbitson joins West of Centre Short to argue a deeper…

  39. After Dark: The election night postmortem

    · 36 min · S6 E224

    Canadians have re-elected a Liberal government — proof that a few months, a new leader, and a dose of Trump panic can shift the political winds. On this special late-night edition of West of Centre: After Dark, host…

  40. The fault lines of this federal election

    · 43 min · S6 E223

    As the 2025 federal election barrels toward the finish line, three generations of Prairie political minds sit down for a lively conversation about the campaign's final stretch. West of Centre guest host Jim Brown is…

  41. Short: How Canada’s ‘lost decade’ was decades in the making

    · 30 min · S6 E222 · Bonus

    The Conservative Party has dubbed the past nine years of Liberal rule a “lost decade” — a period defined by stagnating wages, soaring debt and declining productivity. But Alberta Central's chief economist Charles…

  42. Live from Medicine Hat, the sunniest city in Canada

    · 1 h 12 min · S6 E221

    West of Centre hits the road for a special live show from Medicine Hat — Canada’s sunniest city and the backdrop for big questions about energy, identity and the future of the West. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by a…

  43. Short: Debate club for grownups — how parties prepare their leaders for prime time

    · 30 min · S6 E220 · Bonus

    From method acting to music stands doubling as podiums, debate prep is part serious business, part political theatre. Ahead of the highly anticipated federal debates — the first major showdown between Liberal Leader…

  44. It's too early to call Mark Carney a 'Teflon' candidate

    · 47 min · S6 E219 · Explicit

    Crowd sizes have suddenly become a talking point in the federal election, with many comparing Pierre Poilievre’s massive rally in Edmonton to Mark Carney’s smaller, but still maxed-out, event in Calgary. Meanwhile,…

  45. Short: How the 'Calgary School' reimagined prairie politics to reshape Canadian conservatism

    · 20 min · S6 E218 · Bonus

    Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman spearheaded the Chicago School, popularizing free-market ideas that reshaped American conservatism. But Canada has its own counterpart: the so-called “Calgary School,” a…

  46. The new normal is not normal, but are Albertans ready to separate?

    · 49 min · S6 E217

    Everything we know about “the West” seems to be shifting this week. On a global scale, the U.S. has upended the post-war international order by slapping tariffs on dozens of countries, effectively shredding free trade.…

  47. Voting on anxiety

    · 52 min · S6 E216 · Explicit

    For the first time in months, U.S. President Donald Trump isn’t calling Canada’s prime minister the “governor of the 51st state.” But Prime Minister Mark Carney insists the “old relationship” between Canada and the…

  48. A moment in time

    · 50 min · S6 E215

    After what feels like the longest federal election buildup in recent memory, the race is finally about to begin. New Liberal leader Mark Carney is barely out of the gate and already showing signs of impatience — and…

  49. Short: Manifest destiny

    · 25 min · S6 E214 · Bonus

    The border between Canada and the United States may seem fixed today, but more than a century ago, it was anything but. In this episode of West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown explores the political storms of the 19th…

  50. Not a rational opponent

    · 49 min · S6 E213

    Canada has a new prime minister and a smaller cabinet with several familiar faces. As Mark Carney takes charge amid a trade war with the U.S., his first diplomatic stop isn’t Washington but France and the UK.…

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