West of Centre

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 ballots requested, Sylvestre says he has cause to be suspicious if his side doesn’t get at least 40 per cent support. Host Kathleen Petty and CBC senior reporter Julia Wong look at the stakes and what could come after the vote.

Plus, conservative strategist Michael Solberg and political science professor Clark Banack weigh in on the trouble brewing for Smith. Half of United Conservative Party supporters are considering a vote in favour of a second binding referendum on separation. Is Smith’s leadership on the line if they don’t get what they want? And how does a divided governing party move forward after this vote?

Background listening:

For more on the parallels between Alberta and a promised future referendum in Quebec, check out West of Centre’s interview last year with Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. Here’s the link: https://link.mgln.ai/RPeKzE

• Host: Kathleen Petty
• Guests: Julia Wong, Michael Solberg, Clark Banack
• Producers: Emily Senger, Emily Williams, Diane Yanko, Josh Pagé

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. But what’s in it for the rest of Canada? Are they buying what Mark Carney is selling? 

West of Centre host Kathleen Petty hears from residents in the heart of oil country — Fort McMurray — who want to avoid boom-time growing pains. Plus, energy industry experts Emma Graney and Gitane De Silva on the tricky negotiations for a permit. There’s a lot to get through before shovels can go into the ground, including Indigenous consultations, route mapping, ecological surveys, cost estimates and workforce planning. 

Background listening:

Here’s a link to a previous episode where we talk to a citizen’s panel and industry insiders on the prospect of a West Coast pipeline.

https://link.mgln.ai/energy

• Host: Kathleen Petty
• Guests: Kyle Bakx, Emma Graney, Gitane De Silva
• Producers: Emily Senger, Emily Williams, Diane Yanko, Josh Pagé

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 Technology Minister Nate Glubish tries to sell Albertans on the strategy to woo tech giants – including Meta – at a series of hostile town halls, many voters aren’t buying into the plan. 

Host Kathleen Petty is joined by political watchers Jason Markusoff and Trevor Harrison, who dive into new data from Janet Brown Opinion Research that shows only seven per cent of voters in Alberta strongly support data centre projects. These numbers come as support for the UCP is slipping and Naheed Nenshi’s NDP are riding higher than ever. West of Centre dives into how the UCP can manage this shifting public opinion, just weeks out from the Alberta referendum.

• Host: Kathleen Petty
• Guests: Jason Markusoff, Trevor Harrison
• Producers: Emily Senger, Emily Williams, Diane Yanko, Josh Pagé

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 Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pushed the unity file to another Alberta MP. Host Kathleen Petty and former Conservative MP Damien Kurek look at what needs to happen in the final weeks and what’s at stake if federalist get-out-the vote efforts fall flat.

Plus, journalists Alex Boyd and Matthew Scace on why separatists seem to be more organized when it comes to fundraising, online dialogue and big public events — and, how getting out the vote could matter more than any of that. And will a new ad campaign championed by Premier Danielle Smith do anything to sway voters ahead of the referendum?

• Host: Kathleen Petty
• Guests: Damien Kurek, Alex Boyd and Matthew Scace
• Producers: Emily Senger, Emily Williams, Diane Yanko, Josh Pagé

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 how the heck we got here and where we’re headed next.

David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, does a deep dive into Alberta public opinion. His numbers say if the referendum was held today, Albertans would vote decisively to remain. Motivations for the other side aren’t clearcut. Do they actually want to leave? How many just want to send Ottawa a message? Danielle Smith says she wants to have this vote and move on, but can we?

University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young has also been tracking the rise of separatist sentiment and western alienation in Alberta since it flared up following the 2019 re-election of Justin Trudeau. She helps analyze the data, and questions whether polls might be systematically under-estimating separatist support. 

Background listening:

Here’s a link to the episode we mentioned: “Is a trade war good for separatists?” — we interview one Alberta separatist leader, Keith Wilson, on why not everyone voting Option 2 is looking for full independence.

https://link.mgln.ai/P987Bo

• Host: Kathleen Petty
• Guests: David Coletto, Lisa Young
• Producers: Emily Senger, Emily Williams, Diane Yanko, Josh Pagé

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 working. And Alberta’s senior representative in Washington, Nathan Cooper, weighs in on the delicate dance of diplomacy in Donald Trump’s America.

To put it all in context, two conservative insiders join host Kathleen Petty. Evan Menzies worked with the United Conservative Party, and before that with Smith during the early days of the Wildrose Party. Cole Hogan helped get both Doug Ford and former Alberta premier Jason Kenney elected. Together, they break down the politics behind the premiers' actions and whether these strategies will make headway toward renewed trade talks or at least less punishing tariffs.

• Host: Kathleen Petty
• Guests: Nathan Cooper, Evan Menzies, Cole Hogan
• Producers: Emily Senger, Emily Williams, Diane Yanko, Josh Pagé

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

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

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 Wilson why he thinks the trade war means Albertans should push for a binding referendum on separation in October.

After that, journalists Tyler Dawson from the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star’s Richard Warnica weigh in with host Kathleen Petty on some major questions: how will the trade war influence the referendum campaign? What's the likelihood oil will be used as a cudgel in this dispute? And who comes out ahead when everyone from Doug Ford to Mark Carney to Danielle Smith is talking trade and unity?

• Host: Kathleen Petty
• Guests: Keith Wilson, Tyler Dawson and Richard Warnica
• Producers: Emily Senger, Emily Williams, Diane Yanko

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" explores the enigma that is Alberta and pulls back the curtain. Anthony Sayers, David Stewart and Royce Koop provide a revelatory journey through how the province has defined itself politically over the years, what that tells us about what makes Alberta tick and how that may be changing.

Sayers joins host Kathleen Petty to explore how Alberta is unique among the provinces and why, more than ever, it's important to understand its influence in Canada.

• Host: Kathleen Petty
• Guest: Anthony Sayers
• Producer: Diane Yanko