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 Rachel Notley’s vote share with 82 per cent. It marks his long-awaited entry into the legislature. The NDP also held Edmonton-Ellerslie, though with a slimmer margin — nearly 11 points down from 2023. That erosion raises questions about the party’s grip on “Fortress Edmonton,” particularly as polls suggest the UCP is gaining ground in the capital.

In Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, the UCP kept the rural stronghold but lost 15 points in vote share. The Republican Party of Alberta’s Cam Davies earned nearly 18 per cent — the strongest separatist showing in years. Still, Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt called the result underwhelming, noting it fell short of the one-third benchmark that would signal serious momentum. He called it a missed opportunity for Alberta’s separatist movement, which tends to rise and recede depending on leadership and political climate.

In this episode of West of Centre Short, Bratt argues the latest separatist push is less grassroots than previous waves and more top-down — driven in part by Premier Danielle Smith and her inner circle. While Smith says she supports a united Canada, critics point to her past reliance on the Sovereignty Act, efforts to create a provincial pension plan and police force, and paving the way for a potential independence referendum in 2026 as signs of a deeper, ambiguous agenda.

Host: Rob Brown | Producer & editor: Falice Chin | Guest: Duane Bratt

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 of Calgary — to explore why separatist sentiment continues to simmer in parts of rural Alberta. CBC Calgary’s Jason Markusoff joined them on the ground, attending a town hall on Alberta independence and speaking with locals about what’s fuelling the frustration with Ottawa.

In the riding of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, separatism isn’t just a talking point — it’s basically on the ballot. The Alberta Republic Party, which supports independence, is fielding a candidate with a fraught history with the UCP. This episode offers a revealing look at the political mood heading into Monday’s vote.

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 of the party’s safest ridings. On this episode of West of Centre, three Conservative insiders discuss what this campaign could reveal about Poilievre’s political evolution. Can he adapt his tone and strategy to regain momentum and further expand support? Or will he double down on the populist messaging that’s defined his leadership so far?

Ben Woodfinden, Poilievre’s director of communications during the election, joins veteran political scientist Ian Brodie and disillusioned strategist Sarah Biggs to weigh the stakes—not just for Poilievre, but for the Conservative Party itself. How should he pitch his message in a riding that’s more sympathetic to separatist sentiment, while still maintaining credibility as a prime minister-in-waiting? And with a leadership review set for January, how much reflection and recalibration can he afford before time runs out?

As Prime Minister Mark Carney carves out centrist ground—borrowing from the Conservative playbook while pushing his own agenda—Poilievre may need to pivot from ideological combat to a message of competence and readiness. This episode explores what that shift could mean for the Conservative movement—and for a political system now settling into a prolonged two-party race.

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 have voiced growing frustration with stalled negotiations — including 95 per cent of Alberta Teachers’ Association members voting in favour of strike action. On this episode of West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with Jason Foster, a professor of human resources and labour relations at Athabasca University, about what’s driving the unrest.

Foster, who had previously worked as director of policy analysis at the Alberta Federation of Labour, says many public-sector workers have endured nearly a decade of stagnant pay, followed by surging inflation and the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alberta’s teachers were once the highest paid in Canada, but have since fallen behind their counterparts in other provinces. Class sizes are also a growing concern as the province’s population continues to rise.

What’s different this time, Foster says, is that union members — not leadership — are driving the push for better deals. Workers are rejecting mediated agreements they see as inadequate and demanding more from the bargaining table.

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 distribution have left many Albertans frustrated. In this episode of West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty speaks with economists Alicia Planincic of the Business Council of Alberta and Jim Stanford of the Centre for Future Work to unpack the province’s economic paradox: how can a place so rich feel like it’s falling behind?

The conversation explores deeper structural issues, including weak capital investment, declining real wages across multiple sectors and whether job growth is keeping pace with population gains. The panel questions whether producing more oil would actually ease Alberta’s economic challenges and examines the role of provincial and federal policy in shaping the province’s fortunes.

Looking beyond the oilpatch, the episode also considers Canada’s broader economic strategy — from global trade risks to competition in AI — and what it will take to strengthen long-term growth.

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 sprinkling in “clean power” in her public messaging, the surprise moratorium on new wind and solar approvals in 2022 — followed by a series of restrictive regulations — continues to cast a long shadow over the future of renewables in Alberta.

The government, meanwhile, says it has set out a sensible, balanced plan to grow renewables without compromising reliability or affordability. Last year, the Alberta Utilities Commission approved 24 new nenewable projects — outpacing the 12 approvals in 2023 but comparable to the 23 in 2022. The province’s emphasis on natural gas as a baseload electricity source remains at odds with what some clean-energy advocates are calling for.

In this episode of West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with Chris Severson-Baker, executive director of the Pembina Institute, about the fallout from Alberta’s shifting regulations — and the challenges facing the renewable sector as political leaders try to chart a path forward for Canada’s energy future.

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 infrastructure to unlock economic growth. But squint at the details and contradictions emerge — most notably, the federal government’s insistence that any such project would require consensus from all provinces and Indigenous communities along the route.

This week on West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty tries to pick apart the Liberal government’s murky pipeline messaging with former Canadian Energy Regulator CEO Gitane De Silva, infrastructure economist Kent Fellows and Financial Post reporter Meghan Potkins. It’s not lost on the panel that even in Alberta — ground zero for pipeline advocacy — no private-sector player has stepped up with a new proposal.

Companies remain scarred by a decade of regulatory reversals, legal battles and shifting economic realities, making them hesitant to take the first step without clear political backing or financial incentives. And the hurdles don’t end there. From provincial resistance to port capacity to a cautious investment climate, the conversation lays bare just how far Canada may be from building another major pipeline.

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 Liberal government is moving swiftly — scrapping the consumer carbon tax from law, cutting income taxes, and — more ambitiously — planning legislation to fast-track major national infrastructure projects.

But skepticism is already mounting. Some Indigenous and environmental groups are voicing early concerns about whether promised consultations will be meaningful. Carney may be extending an olive branch to Alberta, but whether it results in a new pipeline remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is grappling with growing separatist sentiment from within her own United Conservative Party. With party insiders pushing for a referendum on independence, Smith is walking a political tightrope. And she may not be the only one. As Pierre Poilievre campaigns to return to Parliament via a byelection in rural Alberta, could he face similar pressures?

This week on West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty speaks with Laura Osman of The Logic, Dave Cournoyer of the Daveberta podcast, and University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young.

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 Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with pollster Janet Brown and data scientist John Santos to explore where Alberta’s political winds are blowing at the halfway mark of the current UCP government’s mandate.

From voter impressions of the Alberta premier and her NDP challenger to shifting seat projections and separatist sentiment, the numbers tell a compelling story — one of “stick it to Ottawa” politics, polarization, and a province still wrestling with its feelings about Canada. 

*Note: This survey was conducted between May 7 and 21 with a representative sample of 1,200 Albertans. Margin of error is ±2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Fore more details, go to cbc.ca/calgary

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 host Jim Brown breaks down the early signals from Canada’s new Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, as Hodgson attempts to reset Ottawa’s rocky relationship with Western Canada’s energy sector. A former chair of Hydro One and board member at MEG Energy, Hodgson brings both Bay Street credentials and oilpatch familiarity. He's leaning into both.

Panelists Grant Sprague, former Alberta deputy energy minister; Globe and Mail energy reporter Emma Graney; and Bill Whitelaw, chair of the Canadian Society for Evolving Energy, weigh in on whether Hodgson’s mix of financial savvy and prairie roots can translate into real results.