West of Centre

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.

Alberta’s premier has put an end to the speculation about whether voters will get a say on the future of the province. Danielle Smith has announced a tenth referendum question on the ballot in October with two choices: should Alberta remain in Canada or should the provincial government start the process toward a binding referendum on separation? What is the premier’s wager, based on the design of the question? And will anyone be happy with this next move to try to settle an emotional debate happening in the province?

It’s one of the topics of discussion this week on West of Centre. Host Kathleen Petty is joined by Matthew Scace, a Calgary-based reporter for the Globe and Mail who covers politics and provincial affairs, and Jason Markusoff, a writer and producer for CBC.

Also in this episode, we’re drilling down on the landmark Alberta-Ottawa energy deal, which has now entered the implementation agreement phase. How will industry and investors feel about a referendum on the question of separation pushing uncertainty about the province's future well past October?

Amanda Stephenson, Canada energy correspondent for Reuters, and Robert (RJ) Johnston, director of energy and natural resources policy with the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, share their analysis.

Host: Kathleen Petty
Guests: Jason Markusoff, Matthew Scace; Amanda Stephenson, Robert (RJ) Johnston
Producer: Diane Yanko

'The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat'. It's an old chestnut that seems apropos in the blood sport of Alberta politics.

The victory is for the Alberta government, as it clears another hurdle in its landmark energy deal with Ottawa. The province has reached an agreement with the federal government on increasing the effective industrial carbon price to $130 per tonne by 2040. While the Pathways Project on carbon capture, utilization and storage, a potential pipeline route, and a private sector proponent are still to come, the agreement could see construction on an oil pipeline to British Columbia start as early as September 2027.

The defeat is for Alberta separatists hoping to see a question about independence on October's referendum ballot. A judge threw out a separatist petition, ruling that Elections Alberta should not have approved it and citing a failure to consult with First Nations. Premier Danielle Smith is now facing calls to put the separation question on the ballot herself.

Kathleen Petty is joined on West of Centre this week by Trevor Harrison, a political sociologist at the University of Lethbridge; Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University; and Jack Farrell, an Alberta legislative reporter for The Canadian Press.

Host: Kathleen Petty
Guests: Jack Farrell, Trevor Harrison, Lori Williams
Producer: Diane Yanko

Supporters of Alberta independence are celebrating this week after over 300,000 signatures calling for a referendum on separation were submitted to Elections Alberta.

But it comes as another separatist group, the Centurion Project, is being investigated by the RCMP, Elections Alberta and Alberta’s privacy commissioner for its use of a voters list with the information of nearly three million Albertans.

West of Centre guest host Jason Markusoff is joined this week by Tyler Dawson, an editor for the Globe and Mail’s opinion section and the author of the new book The Republic of Alberta, and Rob Breakenridge, a Calgary-based journalist and podcaster.

Host: Jason Markusoff
Guests: Rob Breakenridge, Tyler Dawson
Producer: Diane Yanko

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 government.

That's one of the findings from the latest poll by Janet Brown Opinion Research for the CBC.

Brown is one of Alberta's most respected pollsters. Her secret sauce when it comes to opinion research is Albertans talking to Albertans.

Brown joins West of Centre host Kathleen Petty this week to take a deep dive into the findings, along with data scientist John Santos, and CBC writer and producer Jason Markusoff.

Despite the fanfare that accompanied its signing, a majority of those polled are not confident the memorandum of understanding between Ottawa and Alberta will actually result in a new pipeline. But a majority approve of Premier Danielle Smith's efforts to reset the province's relationship with the federal government.

Meanwhile, the poll has found the most impressive politician in Alberta isn't Smith or federal Conservative leader and Battle River-Crowfoot MP Pierre Poilievre. The guy Albertans are giving the highest marks is Prime Minister Mark Carney.

And while the calls for independence are getting louder, it doesn't necessarily mean Albertans are being persuaded the province is better off going it alone. According to the data, support for separatism remains flat.

Host: Kathleen Petty
Guests: Janet Brown, John Santos, Jason Markusoff
Producer: Diane Yanko

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 issue of electoral boundaries.

Is this meddling or giving rural Alberta fair representation?

Meanwhile, a separatist group is in court to avoid opening its books, Premier Danielle Smith’s new website is pushing her own referendum questions, and many clicks are going to a series of AI “slopaganda” online videos that stoke worries about foreign interference.

And do we have to change the clocks to squeeze in a discussion about Alberta’s move to permanent daylight time?

West of Centre guest host Jason Markusoff speaks with three Alberta-based journalists: Alex Boyd from the Toronto Star, Falice Chin from the Hub and Matthew Scace from the Globe and Mail.

Host: Jason Markusoff
Guests: Alex Boyd, Falice Chin, Matthew Scace
Producer: Diane Yanko