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The Strategists

Stephen Carter, Zain Velji, Corey Hogan, Shannon Phillips
The Strategists
Latest episode

127 episodes

  • The Strategists

    Episode 4058: Just Asking Questions

    2026-10-12 | 1h 4 mins.
    Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down the final week of Alberta’s referendum campaign, the conflicting polling on the nine questions, and whether persuasion or voter turnout will decide the outcome. Can the No to the Nine campaign overcome the wording of the questions themselves? Did Mark Carney and the federalists do enough to defend Canada, or does Shannon's referendum report card tell a different story? Plus, a Thanksgiving lightning round to determine which Canadian politicians have the most to be thankful for, and who deserves to be sent to the kids' table.

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

    Read Shannon's full report card for forward weekly here: https://forwardweekly.ca/federalist-report-card
    and signup at https://forwardweekly.ca/ to get forward weekly delivered every Sunday to your inbox

    Join us live in Edmonton on October 13 at the Myer Horowitz Theatre. Tickets at https://strategistliveshow.ca

    Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.
    https://www.patreon.com/strategistspod

    You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.
    https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Strategists

    Episode 4056: The Next Referendum

    2026-10-05 | 48 mins.
    Stephen Carter and Zain Velji break down the final two weeks of Alberta’s referendum campaign, whether Danielle Smith is on the defensive, and why the separatist movement may already be looking toward the next referendum. What happens to Alberta separatism if the referendum loses? Is another referendum already part of the plan? And at 38% name recognition, when does Stephen Carter just admit he’s a candidate, not a strategist?

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

    Get your tickets for The Strategists Live:
    https://strategistsliveshow.ca/

    Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.
    https://www.patreon.com/strategistspod

    You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.
    https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Strategists

    Episode  4054: Have the Players Made Their Plays?

    2026-09-29 | 57 mins.
    Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down British Columbia’s suddenly competitive election and what David Eby and the BC Conservatives need to do over the next month. Can the Conservatives win by focusing on affordability and simply staying sane? Is Alberta’s referendum one move away from breaking open? And how much is Carter going to be able to say if he keeps saving all the good stuff for the live shows?

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

    Get your tickets for The Strategists Live:
    https://strategistsliveshow.ca/

    Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.
    https://www.patreon.com/strategistspod

    You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.
    https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Strategists

    Episode 4053: Don’t Pull a Prentice

    2026-09-22 | 47 mins.
    Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into Alberta’s referendum fight and the political chaos engulfing British Columbia. Is Danielle Smith trying to use the nine referendum questions to contain separatism, or simply keep it alive? Should David Eby call an early election while the BC Conservatives are in free fall, or would that risk repeating Jim Prentice’s biggest mistake? And is the most complicated part of Alberta politics now just figuring out which Strategists live show you bought tickets for?

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

    The Strategists Live!:
    Edmonton - October 13: https://strategistliveshow.ca/calgary
    Calgary - October 27: https://strategistliveshow.ca/edmonton

    Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.
    https://www.patreon.com/strategistspod

    You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.
    https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Strategists

    Episode 4052: Megachurch Miracle in Calgary-Shaw

    2026-09-17 | 44 mins.
    Shannon Phillips and Conspiracy Zain dive into the Alberta NDP’s surprise Calgary-Shaw victory, what it says about the UCP’s vulnerability in Calgary, and whether the result changes the political calculus heading into the referendum. Is there really no such thing as a safe Conservative seat in Calgary anymore? Does this win give Naheed Nenshi a new opening, or just tempt the NDP to learn the wrong lessons? And is Conspiracy Zain onto something about what the UCP might do next, or has the tinfoil hat fully cut off the circulation?

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

    Join us live in Edmonton and Calgary:
    https://strategistsliveshow.ca/calgary (Edmonton Tickets)
    https://strategistsliveshow.ca/edmonton (Calgary Tickets)

    Read Forward Weekly:
    https://forwardweekly.ca

    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.
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About The Strategists
Professional unprofessional strategists Stephen Carter, Zain Velji, and Shannon Phillips break down the news of the day. Not just what’s happening, but how it’s being played.Policy is one thing. Politics is another.The show dissects the strategy behind the headlines: what governments are doing, why it matters, and the political incentives driving every move. They don't tell you what to think. They make you harder to spin.Originally hosted with Corey Hogan (now inside the machine), The Strategists now anchors a growing podcast network:•⁠ ⁠The Strategists — weekly strategy, sharp takes, and questionable professionalism•⁠ ⁠Ministry of Podcasts — Corey Hogan reports from inside Parliament•⁠ ⁠Balance of Power — Annalise Klingbeil, Shannon Phillips, and Leah Ward bring a distinct lens to power and politicsDescribed as “shockingly insightful” and “sports talk radio for politics.”Not sponsored by Flair Airlines.Get bonus episodes and more at strategistspatreon.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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