The Strategists

Zain Velji, Shannon Phillips, and Stephen Carter talk about Avi Lewis’s leadership win and the immediate political shockwaves across the country. They dive into how provincial NDP leaders are reacting, what this means for party unity, and whether this is a reset or a rupture. They also revisit Alberta gerrymandering from last week’s Patreon exclusive episode and the strategy behind it. Who handled Avi Lewis’s moment the best? What’s actually going on with Alberta’s boundaries fight, and who benefits? And how does Wab Kinew keep getting away with it?

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

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Is this about rights or strategy?

This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips talk kettlebells (kettleballs?) before digging into the politics behind the latest waves of anti-trans policy in Canada and what it reveals about how governments choose to fight.

First: the framing. How “parental rights” moved from the margins to the centre of the debate and who it is actually for. Is this persuasion? Base mobilization? Or something else entirely?

Then: the shift from clinical care to political conflict. What happens when decisions that used to sit with doctors, patients, and families get pulled into legislatures, and why that shift matters.

Plus: the limits of the Charter. If governments are willing to test or override legal protections, what does that mean for how these fights play out going forward?

And finally: if the courts are not enough, what options are left and what does an effective political response actually look like?

Strategy, framing, legal limits, and what happens when politics moves faster than institutions.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Have a comment or idea? email us: [email protected]

Correction: Around 51:55 where Leah mentions the Alberta case before the courts, it is actualy the Saskatchewan challenge before the Supreme Court. Alberta had applied as an intervenor. As of recording Alberta's challenge is currently at the appeal stage.

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Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into the most important poll in Canadian political history. They break down what name ID actually means and what this poll is really measuring. Then they pivot to the real game: golden cats, free Saudi planes, and how political scandals actually get built and stick. What does this poll actually tell us about polling, attention, and political relevance? Why do some stories take off while others need a push to build momentum? And how many defamation suits is producer Haxim quietly preventing?

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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Big news.

Serious business.

No press conference.

Just a leak.

This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips dig into how this actually works.

Government wants something out there.

Not a scrum. Not a pile of questions.

Their version. First.

So it shows up in a column.

A scoop.

Headline already pointed where they want it.

Why do it this way?

What do they get out of it?

And why does it still work?

Then it gets into the weeds.

Carbon pricing.

Credits. Markets.

How it’s supposed to work.

How it actually works.

Shannon Phillips walks through it.

Why some companies are sitting on credits.

Why the price isn’t what people think it is.

And why this is heading for a fight with Ottawa.

Policy is one thing.

The story is another.

Have a comment or idea? email us: [email protected]

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Shannon Phillips and Stephen Carter dive into the latest NDP leadership drama after Avi Lewis finds himself at the centre of a resurfaced clip mocking Shannon’s time as Alberta’s environment minister. What started as an old video quickly turns into a conversation about factional politics inside the NDP, leadership style, and what happens when activists try to run political parties. Is Avi Lewis trying to build a movement—or just impersonate one? Why does the “Zohran model” work in New York but struggle to translate to Canadian politics? And at what point does Carter’s haircut become a national unity issue?

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.

https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

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

How do political campaigns actually win once the voting starts?

This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips unpack the strategy behind the federal NDP leadership race as voting begins, check in on the budget fight unfolding in Nova Scotia, and talk about the rarely discussed cost of maintaining a political image in the age of constant cameras.

First: the mechanics of a ranked-ballot leadership race. What do campaigns actually do once voting begins? How do second-choice alliances form behind the scenes, and why do turnout and member mobilization matter more than anything else in the final weeks?

Then: Nova Scotia politics. Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender joins the show to explain how public protests forced Premier Tim Houston’s government to partially reverse controversial budget cuts, and why telling human stories can still change political outcomes.

Plus: the cost of a political face. From wardrobe budgets to cosmetic procedures to the constant scrutiny of cameras and social media, the panel discusses the financial and personal pressures women and gender-diverse politicians face that most voters never see.

Leadership race strategy, opposition politics, and the realities of modern political image.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Have a comment or idea? email us: [email protected]

Guest

MLA Claudia Chender

https://www.claudiachender.ca/

Mentioned in this episode

Left East to West Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/5GLYrK3yElLMVYAML7W1gt

Shannon's Substack

https://shannonphillips.substack.com/p/a-middle-power-but-actually

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Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips talk about a floor crossing that’s shaking up the political landscape and what it says about where things are heading. They also talk about how the move cost Avi Lewis an endorsement in the federal NDP leadership race and what it might mean for the campaign heading into the final stretch. And will Zain finally solve the growing crisis surrounding his basketball team?

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

If you're female and would like to play basketball with Zain Velji for Leader, email [email protected]

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.

https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

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Episode 4016: Is the Alberta NDP’s Message Landing?

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into the growing conversation around the Alberta NDP’s strategy and whether Naheed Nenshi is breaking through with voters. They talk about polling, leader favourables, opposition tactics, and how an opposition actually builds momentum between elections. Is the NDP stuck in the mid-cycle doldrums or facing a real strategic problem? Should the party focus on energizing the base or targeting swing voters in Calgary? And at what point does Carter start invoicing the NDP?

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.

https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

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

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into Danielle Smith’s referendum gambit and the fight over Alberta’s immigration questions. What’s the smartest way to run a No campaign? Should the NDP lead the fight or stay in the background? And will Carter ever forgive Shannon for ranking Honeycrisp apples number one?

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.

https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

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

Are Alberta’s immigration referendum questions actually about immigration, or about politics?

This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil and Leah Ward are joined by Dr. Bronwyn Bragg, a human geographer at the University of Lethbridge who studies labour migration and precarious work.

First, the politics behind Alberta’s proposed immigration referendum. The panel breaks down what the questions actually say and what they imply. How do complicated policy issues become simple political narratives? And what happens when those narratives start shaping public opinion?

Then, the economics beneath the rhetoric. Using Brooks, Alberta and the meatpacking industry as a case study, Bronwyn explains how temporary foreign workers fit into the province’s labour market and why industries that depend on migrant labour are often missing from the political conversation.

Finally, facts, feelings, and the politics of immigration. When economic anxiety and housing pressure collide with political messaging, why do facts often fail to change minds? And what responsibility do political leaders have when public debate moves from policy into identity?

Immigration policy, labour markets, referendum strategy, and a reminder that behind every political talking point are real communities and real people.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Guest:

Bronwyn Bragg, PhD

https://bronwynbragg.ca

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