West of Centre
ਚੈਨਲ ਵਿਸਥਾਰ
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.
ਹਾਲੀਆ ਐਪੀਸੋਡ
154 ਐਪੀਸੋਡ
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...
Buckle up, Alberta! 2025 ain't over yet
More than halfway through a turbulent political year, Alberta sits at the crossroads of a global trade war, a federal-provincial power struggle and a...
Short: Deal or no deal in Trump's new world order
As the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches, Donald Trump’s administration is threatening to hike tariffs on non-CUSMA-compliant Canadian goods from 25 to...
Less fire and more finesse
In the dead of summer, a shift in tone appears to be taking hold between Canada’s premiers and the prime minister.
On this week’s West of Centre...
Short: The problem with GDP per capita
Canada’s sluggish gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has been branded an economic “emergency.” Yet the headline figure could soon rise even if Pr...
What these Alberta Next town halls are trying to sell
The Alberta Next tour is only two stops in and critics already say it feels less like a neutral consultation than a sales exercise for provincial move...
Short: Indigenous chief warns of fallout over carbon capture project
A northern Alberta First Nations leader is raising concerns about a proposed $16-billion carbon capture project, warning his community could pursue le...
Pancakes, pipeline and Poilievre
Can Pierre Poilievre survive the summer — and is a new oil pipeline imminent? Those questions are fuelling chatter on rooftop patios, at pancake break...
Short: The prolonged calm before the next oil price swing
Despite wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, a resurgent Donald Trump threatening global trade, and the world increasing supply, crude prices haven’t...
Aspiration meets reality for Mark Carney
Aspiration is meeting reality for Prime Minister Mark Carney, as the pressures of governing expose the risks of his sky-high campaign promises.
...
Short: The case for bolstering defence capability in the North
Canada has yet to meet NATO’s two per cent defence benchmark, yet the federal government is already pledging to boost spending to five per cent of GDP...
Alberta Next or Alberta Nexit?
Premier Danielle Smith is pitching her “Alberta Next” roadshow as a grassroots consultation, but critics say its six survey questions steer Albertans...
Short: Separatists fail first test, but slow march to referendum continues
The results of Alberta’s three byelections delivered a largely status quo outcome, but with some notable undercurrents. In Edmonton-Strathcona, NDP Le...
Bonus: In search of separatists in Alberta
Ahead of three Alberta provincial byelections on June 23, West of Centre is sharing a special bonus episode from our colleagues at Front Burner.
...
What's next for Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives
The federal election may be over, but Pierre Poilievre is not done campaigning. After losing his longtime seat in the Ottawa region, the Conservative...
Short: Alberta faces wave of looming strikes
Alberta is facing the prospect of its largest coordinated public-sector labour disruption in decades, with tens of thousands of workers poised to stri...
Making sense of Alberta's economic puzzle
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 p...
Short: Why Alberta's renewable energy sector isn't rushing to build more solar and wind
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 prov...
Pipeline politics return with familiar gridlock
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...
New Parliament, new tone, new promises
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 the...
Short: Albertans like a fighter. Right now, that's Danielle Smith
Danielle Smith’s extended political honeymoon, Naheed Nenshi’s lukewarm debut, and Alberta’s identity crisis — all captured in a fresh batch of pollin...
A different former Bay Street executive makes his pitch to the West
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...
Short: Measles, mistrust and mixed messages
Canada’s measles elimination status is at risk for the first time in decades, with Alberta among the hardest-hit provinces. This week on West of Centr...
New cabinet, old grievances signal rough road ahead for Carney
Will the Liberal government — somewhat refreshed with a few new faces — help reset Ottawa’s strained relationship with the West? That’s the central qu...
Short: NDP rebuild could hinge on strength in the West
Edmonton MP Heather McPherson says the federal NDP must reconnect with its working-class roots as it looks to rebuild after a historic election loss....
Danielle Smith walks a fine line between staying and splitting
Is Alberta inching closer to the exit door? Premier Danielle Smith insists she’s a federalist — but her government’s latest moves are making it easier...
Short: The Alberta separation question
Two-in-five Canadians think Alberta separation is a real possibility — even though most would reject the idea, new polling shows.
In the wake of...
Carney’s win sparks hope in some, wariness in others
Mark Carney’s steady economic message resonated with voters, helping the Liberals secure a fourth consecutive term — though still a minority. But the...
Short: The 'big shift' meets the 'breaking point'
In the wake of a federal election that saw the Conservatives defeated once again, despite a notable increase in support, political columnist and autho...
After Dark: The election night postmortem
Canadians have re-elected a Liberal government — proof that a few months, a new leader, and a dose of Trump panic can shift the political winds. On th...
The fault lines of this federal election
As the 2025 federal election barrels toward the finish line, three generations of Prairie political minds sit down for a lively conversation about the...
Short: How Canada’s ‘lost decade’ was decades in the making
The Conservative Party has dubbed the past nine years of Liberal rule a “lost decade” — a period defined by stagnating wages, soaring debt and declini...
Live from Medicine Hat, the sunniest city in Canada
West of Centre hits the road for a special live show from Medicine Hat — Canada’s sunniest city and the backdrop for big questions about energy, ident...
Short: Debate club for grownups — how parties prepare their leaders for prime time
From method acting to music stands doubling as podiums, debate prep is part serious business, part political theatre. Ahead of the highly anticipated...