In a moment when trust in democracy feels fragile, what happens when the basic machinery of politics becomes the story?

This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward, and Shannon Phillips dig into the Elections Alberta investigation, the alleged misuse of the list of electors, and why a story about voter data is not just procedural, but deeply personal.

First: the list. Who is supposed to have access to voter information, what is it meant to be used for, and why does alleged misuse by separatist organizers raise such serious questions about privacy, safety, and democratic trust?

Then: sport as politics. The federal government is making a major investment in sport, but the conversation quickly turns to something bigger: community, belonging, national identity, and why a playoff crowd might tell us more about unity than another press conference.

Plus, for Patreon subscribers: the Alberta NDP’s difficult moment. New polling shows the UCP still riding high and Naheed Nenshi struggling to break through. Is this a leadership problem, a message problem, a Calgary problem, or just the brutal work of opposition in a fractured media environment?

Privacy, trust, sports, sovereignty, polling, and what it takes to rebuild political attention when everyone is looking somewhere else.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Have a comment or idea? Email us at [email protected]

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Mentioned in this episode:

Alberta Referendumb

https://albertareferendumb2026.ca/

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Be it resolved that the Minister of Podcasts, Stephen Carter, together with the Chair of Oral Questions, Zain Velji, do hereby call this sitting of The Ministry of Podcasts to order, despite the late hour, the early votes, and the growing evidence that Corey Hogan now lives primarily in committee rooms.

Be it further resolved that The Strategists Podcast shall be granted the honour of first money in on the Canada Strong Fund,

Be it further further resolved that the House shall receive first-year reflections from the duly elected Member of Parliament for Calgary Confederation, Corey Hogan, on matters including but not limited to:

What it feels like to realize you are now one of 343 people helping make laws for the country,

The personal cost of the job: missed dinners, Ottawa apartments, FaceTime goodnights, and friendships managed mostly by text,

And what happens when you stop watching politics from the outside and realize you are now inside the machine, responsible for steering it.

Therefore be it finally resolved that this episode shall be entered into the record as both parliamentary testimony and a caution that governing the country is much harder than yelling about it from the outside.

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Stephen Carter, Shannon Phillips, and Producer Haxim talk about what happens when a weekend joke turns into a national political story. After Producer Haxim launches his satirical Alberta referendum site and “becomes a podcaster,” the crew breaks down why the government’s referendum campaign feels more like a persuasion machine than public education. They also dig into Carter’s Alberta Liberal Party referendum plan, and whether the rules were quietly changed to shut it down. Shannon Phillips discusses her article for Forward Weekly on how the Alberta NDP lost its advantage and how it might win it back. Is Alberta’s referendum fight really about the questions on the ballot? Can a political party raise money around an idea instead of a candidate? And how many headlines before Haxim starts asking for his own comms team?

Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Get your tickets for the May 9th live show at https://strategistslive.ca/

Mentioned in this episode:

Producer Haxim's Referendumb Site

https://albertareferendumb2026.ca

Shannon's Forward Weekly Article

https://archive.forwardweekly.ca/?issue=05

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If the problems keep getting worse, are we even solving the right one?

This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil and Leah Ward take on a set of decisions that feel increasingly out of step with how people actually live. From time changes to family planning to public consultation, they walk through what happens when policy targets miss the mark.

First: daylight saving time. Alberta is moving toward making it permanent—but what does that actually mean for winter mornings, daily routines, and how people function? Is this about convenience, or are we ignoring what the research says?

Then: fertility in Alberta. A new report lays out the cost, access, and emotional toll of treatment, raising bigger questions about population growth, affordability, and what actually drives people’s decisions to have kids.

And finally: the Alberta Next survey. After a long fight to release the data, what do the responses actually show? And what’s the point of consultation if the outcome is already decided?

Policy, incentives, and what happens when we keep solving the wrong problem.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Have a comment or idea? Email us at [email protected]

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Stephen Carter and Zain Velji try to figure out who is actually going to do something as Alberta’s political fights pile up. From referendum questions to separatism to electoral boundaries, they break down what’s happening, why it matters, and why the same small group of people seems to be carrying all of it. Is this a coordination problem or an activation problem? What role should the NDP actually play in the boundaries fight? And are we spending as much time fighting each other as the actual fight?

Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

You can email The Strategists at [email protected]

Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.

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You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shannon Phillips is joined by producer Haxim to finally answer a critical question: what the hell is going on in the Strategists Discord? From “bread fridge” memes to full-on policy fights, they unpack how the community actually works and why it’s worth checking out.

Then Shannon and Zain turn to Alberta’s electoral boundary shakeup and the unprecedented move to hand map-drawing power to politicians themselves. What’s actually happening with this new process, and what game is being played underneath it? Does this change the outcome before a vote is even cast? And how long before Discord daddy Zain logs off for cigarettes and never comes back?

Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.

https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspod

You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a moment where things feel like they’re slipping, what does control even look like?

This week on Balance of Power, Shannon Phillips, Leah Ward, and Annalise Klingbeil step into a rough stretch for the Conservatives and unpack what happens when a party starts to wobble. From by-election losses to internal pressure, they walk through how instability takes hold and what it really takes to stop it.

First: stopping the bleeding. What actually works when things start to slip? Is this about discipline, tone, or something deeper inside the operation?

Then: the reset question. What does a real reset look like and who has to change for it to land? Can you adjust the message without changing the messenger?

And finally: the long game. What does opposition look like when there’s no quick path back? How do you rebuild credibility, keep a team together, and plan for three years instead of three months?

Strategy, tone, internal pressure, and what it means to lead when things aren’t going your way.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Have a comment or idea? Email us at [email protected]

Join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for ad-free episodes and access to our exclusive Discord:

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Mentioned in this episode:

Stand Up for Alberta’s Public Libraries

https://www.caplibraries.ca/stand-up-for-albertas-public-libraries

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Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into Carter’s plan to use the Alberta Liberal Party as a campaign vehicle to fight the province’s referendum questions. What problem is this actually solving, and why does the rulebook point here? When does “following the rules” start to look like breaking them? And how many non-consensual partnerships is this actually going to take?

Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.

Get your tickets for the May 9th live show at https://strategistslive.ca/

Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.

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You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.

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In a political moment where lines are blurring and power is shifting, what actually matters anymore?

This week on Balance of Power, Shannon Phillips, Leah Ward, and Annalise Klingbeil dig into the growing trend of floor crossing. They talk about what it says about political values and whether consistency still counts in modern politics. From party loyalty to power plays, they unpack how decisions are really being made and who they’re serving.

Then: a rapid-fire round on housing, space exploration, and the moments shaping the conversation right now.

Plus: our new segment, Quarterly Report, where the hosts share the small things keeping them grounded in chaotic times.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Have a comment or idea? Email us at [email protected]

Join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for ad-free episodes and access to our exclusive Discord:

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Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips talk about who should be Canada’s next Governor General and what that choice is really about. What does the job actually require in this moment? What does any of this tell us about the state of the country right now? And did Strategists Media Corp really arrange a retreat in Mexico and just not tell Carter?

Then for Patrons: Alberta, and what it means to actually meet the moment. When one side is willing to push, escalate, and set the terms, what is the opposition supposed to do in response? What does “finding the nerve” actually look like, and what happens when your instinct is to manage rather than confront?

Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.

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You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.