West of Centre
Detalls del Canal
West of Centre
Kathleen Petty sits down with politicians, pundits, and other thoughtful westerners for conversations about the priorities, preoccupations and politics of Albertans and others who are West of Centre.
Episodis Recents
187 episodis
'It's always Band-Aids'
About 3.4 million Albertans are eligible to receive a $100 energy rebate. The provincial government says the cash will bring meaningful relief from th...
Mixed messages in the argument for federalism
Danielle Smith uses the energy MOU has Exhibit A in her argument for remaining in Canada. Pierre Poilievre uses it as Exhibit A in making his case tha...
'The art of humility'
West of Centre's citizen panel is back, this time to weigh in on October's referendum, where Albertans will be asked to decide the future of their pro...
'Primordial politics'
As Albertans contemplate an October referendum that will see them choose between the province remaining in Canada or starting the process toward a fut...
Door No. 1 or Door No. 2
Let’s make a deal, Alberta! Will it be door No. 1 or door No. 2? Except there’s no zonk prize, and you’re not allowed to switch.
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The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat
'The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat'. It's an old chestnut that seems apropos in the blood sport of Alberta politics.
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Separation anxiety
Supporters of Alberta independence are celebrating this week after over 300,000 signatures calling for a referendum on separation were submitted to El...
'One way or another'
What you see is what you'd get if an election were held today in Alberta — except the United Conservative Party would have an even bigger majority gov...
Where to draw the line?
The UCP’s decision to reject a bi-partisan commission’s report and order a do-over of riding maps has ignited a firestorm over the usually sleepy issu...
Pushing boundaries
Separatism is in court (again), as several First Nations try to thwart a referendum on Alberta independence. The group collecting signatures to trigge...
‘The federal NDP is irrelevant’
As members of the NDP celebrate new leader Avi Lewis and his vision to revitalize their party, there’s skepticism in Alberta that Lewis’ federal victo...
The Firewall Letter - 25 years later
Back in January 2001, six influential Alberta conservatives sent then premier Ralph Klein the now famous 'firewall letter.' Under the heading 'Alberta...
The Prairies senators: ‘We can’t do stupid stuff’
There’s great concern that people in Ottawa aren’t taking what’s happening in Alberta seriously enough. With national unity at stake, some Senators ar...
War in Iran: What does it mean for Canadian oil?
The deadly U.S.- and Israel-led attack on Iran has given way to a cold economic reality. According to the International Energy Agency, the war in the...
‘Bizarro world’: Why is Liberal support rising in Alberta?
For decades, Alberta’s federal politics has been a fortress. But the Conservative blue wall protecting the province is showing signs of cracking. And...
Unpacking Alberta's 2026 budget
Buckle up and keep your hands on the bar, Albertans! The province’s ride on the resource revenue roller coaster continues, and the latest $9.4 billion...
Referendum Madness!
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has some questions she wants Albertans to answer. Nine of them, to be exact.
That’s how many refere...
The Coutts Diaries
What does a kid from Nanton, Alta., write in his private journals after spending his days influencing some of Pierre Elliott Trudeau's most controvers...
A West of Centre twofer: the citizens’ panel, plus energy insiders
Grab your snacks and beverages and settle in for a West of Centre twofer, no coupon required.
First, host Kathleen Petty reconvene...
The road ahead for the CPC
It’s a wrap for the Conservative Party Convention in Calgary. Leader Pierre Poilievre secured an 87.4 per cent vote of confidence. Now that he’s won o...
Alberta: destination separation
The seeds of separation are being sown. Thousands have been braving January’s cold to put some heat on the effort for the province to become a free an...
Can the Carney-Smith good vibes last?
This week on West of Centre, guest host Jason Markusoff reconvenes the national political panel The House Party for a conversation about Alberta’s rel...
Venezuela fallout: 'We have to stop being such boy scouts in Canada'
The geopolitical rules were rewritten this week as the U.S. moves beyond simply buying oil. It effectively took over the world's largest oil reserves...
The Quiz Show
From a Trump trade war and a historic teachers' strike, to the UCP government’s use of the notwithstanding clause, 2025 has been a high-stakes whirlwi...
Breaking Point: ‘This is a very problematic time in Canadian history’
What if the biggest danger to Canada isn’t a foreign enemy or even U.S. President Donald Trump? Rather, poor policy decisions and decades of deferred...
The ‘La-La-La We Can’t Hear You’ Act of 2025
For the second time this year, Alberta’s UCP government is lowering the barriers for citizen-led referendum questions while also stripping the Chief E...
'What was impossible is now possible, if not yet probable'
Alberta and Ottawa have sealed a new “grand bargain” – a long-awaited memorandum of understanding that could pave the way for a major new bitumen pipe...
Is it time to destigmatize the word 'privatize'?
Health care in Alberta is getting a massive makeover, as the UCP government introduces what it calls a dual-practice surgery model. Critics fear that...
‘Smith has created a poison pill for herself’
The Grey Cup deadline on a memorandum of understanding between the prime minister and the premier is about to come and go, but it’s not necessarily a...
'Democractic reform is for losers'
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...
'A shock to the political system in Alberta'
Alberta’s UCP government used the biggest hammer in its toolbox this week to force teachers back to work.
The provincial governmen...
'It's a real problem for democracy'
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...
Not a normal strike
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 dea...
Dodging and diplomacy
There are now two proposed pipelines without private proponents on the table. The first: Alberta's idea for a bitumen pipeline to northern British Col...
Danielle Smith's 'choose your own adventure'
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 pipel...
Is 'pragmatism' good climate policy?
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...
Licence to divide
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 wi...
Short: Party politics hits city hall
This fall, Calgary and Edmonton voters will face a first in Alberta history: municipal candidates backed by political parties.
The provincial go...
No pipeline, no problem... For now
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 S...
West of Centre goes on summer break
Even Alberta politics needs a pause now and then. While there are no new episodes in August, we'll be back in September, ready to dive headfirst into...