West of Centre

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

Separatism is in court (again), as several First Nations try to thwart a referendum on Alberta independence. The group collecting signatures to trigger a referendum on separation says it already has more than the required number of signatures. It expects the Smith government to put its question on the ballot, even if a judge rules against the petition.

Meanwhile, Alberta’s education minister has tabled a bill aimed at getting politics and ideology out of the classroom. It mandates that teachers present all issues in a neutral and unbiased way, and limits the display of flags in schools.

And an effort to redraw Alberta’s electoral ridings is drawing criticism. Two commissioners appointed by the UCP have mapped out boundaries of their own that are vastly different from the commission’s majority report. It has both the Alberta NDP and the judge who chaired the commission warning the government not to go there.

Jason Markusoff is in the West of Centre host chair this week. Joining him are Erika Barootes, former principal secretary to premier Danielle Smith; Annalise Klingbeil, who worked in Rachel Notley's government; and University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young.

Host: Jason Markusoff
Guests: Erika Barootes, Annalise Klingbeil, Lisa Young
Producer: Diane Yanko

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 victory will put the New Democrats back on the road to relevancy.

Two NDP insiders, Shannon Phillips, a former Alberta NDP cabinet minister, and Keith McLaughlin, who was chief of staff to several ministers in Rachel Notley’s government, join West of Centre host Kathleen Petty to offer their analysis on the impact that Lewis will have in Alberta — and they’re blunt in their assessment.

Neither see a clear path for the federal NDP to become relevant in the near future. And as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith weaponizes the tie between the New Democrats’ federal and provincial wings -- pointing to the party’s constitution as proof that their federal and provincial policies are one and the same -- the panel is brushing off the document as meaningless. They say what the federal NDP is doing doesn’t matter to Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi, as his focus is on the politics in his province, and his opponent is Smith.

For his part, Nenshi tells the podcast his priority isn’t on the federal party and convincing them to change their policy on natural resource development and expansion. He shrugs off the division, and says his attention is on the future of Alberta.

Host: Kathleen Petty
Guests: Keith McLaughlin, Shannon Phillips
Producer: Diane Yanko

Back in January 2001, six influential Alberta conservatives sent then premier Ralph Klein the now famous 'firewall letter.' Under the heading 'Alberta Agenda,' the letter proposed withdrawing from the Canada Pension Plan, establishing a provincial police force, bypassing the Canada Revenue Agency in favour of the province collecting its own income tax, and Senate reform. These ideas were seen as fringe. Extremist even. But with the passage of time, some of the key measures in the firewall letter have influenced conservative policy in Alberta, and are now being set in motion 25 years later by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

This week, West of Centre host Kathleen Petty gets the inside story on the firewall letter, straight from two of its signatories. Ted Morton, an executive fellow at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy and a former PC cabinet minister; and Ken Boessenkool, a longtime policy advisor who worked with former prime minister Stephen Harper (credited as the catalyst for the letter, and another one of its six signatories).

These insiders describe how the hostile reaction to the letter came as a surprise, as the ideas contained in the letter were things other provinces were already doing. They talk about the visceral reaction 25 years ago to the word 'firewall,' and how it came to be added to the letter. And how the nine questions on a referendum that Albertans will vote on in the fall is seen as 'anti-firewall letter.'

Host: Kathleen Petty
Guests: Ken Boessenkool, Ted Morton
Producer: Diane Yanko