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Politics

Politics

Updated Aug 5
Politics

Politics

Updated Jul 31
Politics

Politics

Updated May 15
Government

Government

Updated 2024-10-18

Aug 11

Episode 4046: Ride Until Die

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips talk about what happens when the strategist becomes the spokesperson, whether the political backroom still exists, and why Carter is discovering that dealing with the public may be the hardest part of running a campaign. Then they dig into the strange out-of-province donations flowing to the Alberta Republican Party and the loopholes that could allow even more money to move through Alberta politics without anyone knowing where it came from. How much money would it actually take to seriously disrupt the referendum? Is voter suppression a bigger risk than anyone wants to admit? And is Jason Kenney becoming a Conservative elder statesman, or quietly auditioning for Pierre Poilievre’s job? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. 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.
Aug 7

Episode 4045: From the DMs

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down the increasingly crowded campaign to keep Alberta in Canada and ask whether anyone has the money or the nerve to run the air war the referendum may require. Then they strategize what the federal government, the NDP, organized labour and the various pro-Canada campaigns should actually be doing with just weeks left to reach voters. Can Canadian flags become a national unity organizing tool? Will No to the Nine hold together once voters start reading the individual questions? And has Carter finally escaped the same 2,000 people, or just ordered 4,000 signs for them? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. 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.
Jul 31

Ministry of Podcasts: Episode 7

Be it resolved that the Minister of Podcasts, Stephen Carter, together with the Chair of Oral Questions, Zain Velji, do hereby call this sitting of The Ministry of Podcasts to order, notwithstanding an abandoned first recording, an unexplained middle finger, and Zain Velji arriving without sufficient battery life or advance knowledge of his own schedule. Be it further resolved that the House shall receive testimony from the duly elected Member of Parliament for Calgary Confederation on matters including but not limited to: The rapidly escalating scandal over who may receive a Canadian flag, how many flags constitute a reasonable request, and whether declining an order for one hundred of them amounts to a betrayal of the country, The strange campaign to keep Alberta in Canada, the patchwork of parties, MPs and third-party advertisers attempting to fill the space where an actual referendum campaign ought to be, The daily reality of serving as a constituency MP, parliamentary secretary and the closest government representative to roughly two million people while navigating what an MP can promise, influence and actually deliver, And the Calgary Stampede as a ten-day exercise in political endurance, including 71 events, 40 visiting Liberal MPs and one Prime Minister turning the city into the country’s largest informal caucus meeting. Therefore be it finally resolved that this episode shall be entered into the record as a defence of Canadian unity, an account of the work that happens between the speeches and the cameras, and a reminder that public service requires equal measures of stamina, candour and access to a reliable supply of Canadian flags. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 5

The Jeff Sloychuk Memorial Episode

What should politicians actually be doing while everyone else is trying to enjoy August? This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips remember Jeff Sloychuk, a longtime labour and NDP organizer whose politics were rooted in working-class people, practical action and getting the job done. First: summer politics. Is August a time to rest, work the barbecue circuit or quietly prepare for the fights coming in the fall? The panel looks at how Pierre Poilievre used summer advertising to reshape his image, what Danielle Smith’s small private fundraisers are really communicating, and why political campaigns should never assume voters have stopped paying attention. Then: labour, influencers and the changing media ecosystem. After CUPE partnered with Alberta content creators to explain the WestJet labour dispute, the panel digs into why audiences, not advertisements, have become the real political asset, and how shifting public attitudes toward unions are changing who gets heard. Plus, for Patreon subscribers: Leah shares lessons from the federal NDP’s experiment with political influencers, the panel debates whether campaign buses and traditional media tours still matter, and they offer direct advice for Alberta’s federalist campaigns on creators, YouTube, ground organizing and putting Canadian flags everywhere. Summer strategy, labour politics, influencer campaigns, Canadian flags and the value of getting politics out of the ether and onto people’s doorsteps. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Jeff Sloychuk. Welcome to Balance of Power. Have a comment or idea? Email us at suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca Join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for ad-free episodes and access to our exclusive Discord: https://www.patreon.com/strategistspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 27

Episode 4044: How Carney Falls

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down the ways Mark Carney’s extended political honeymoon could finally come to an end, from a weakening economy and progressive defections to Liberal insider culture and the arrival of a shinier opponent. What happens if voters stop believing there is no deal to be made with Donald Trump and start blaming Carney for failing to make one? Can economic progressivism keep urban voters from drifting back to the NDP? And is Stephen Carter’s national basic income plan the bold political masterstroke nobody asked him to invent? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. 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 Support The Strategists Legal Defence Fund. https://donate.thestrategists.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 22

Episode 4043: The Money vs The Many

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down the emerging fight between moneyed interests and economic populists in the Democratic Party, and ask whether progressive candidates need broader coalitions, better slogans or simply better abs. Then they turn to Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats, Mark Carney’s restrained response and the premiers volunteering to play attack dog. Can economic populism work in Canada? Should Carney start treating Trump like the political villain Canadians already believe he is? And is Carter now pro-slogan, or just anti-admitting he was wrong? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. 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.
May 27

Episode 4033: That Thing That Breaks the Camel

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into the rapidly escalating Alberta separatism fight, the growing fractures inside the UCP, and whether Danielle Smith has finally pushed things too far. Are groups actually trying to stop separatism, or just positioning themselves to claim credit afterward? Have Alberta’s mayors become some of the most effective pro-Canada voices in the province? And why is it so hard to just get a normal Canadian flag lawn sign? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. 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.
Jun 10

Episode 4035: The 45 Million Ballot Problem

Stephen Carter and Zain Velji dive into Elections Alberta’s plan to recruit 60,000 workers and count 45 million ballots, and what that could mean for how referendum results are reported on election night. Could Alberta be headed for a separatist mirage where early returns tell the wrong story? Is Pierre Poilievre walking a tightrope that Stephen Harper never would have touched? And does Shannon Phillips have her flippy-floppies with her on a boat? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. Listen to all the Strategists Podcast Network shows at https://network.thestrategists.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.
Jun 30

Episode 4039: Amateur Lobbying Hour

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down Alberta’s increasingly murky referendum campaign, from the rules governing signs and fundraising to the power of writing questions designed to produce a preferred answer. What happens when everyone seems to be playing by a different set of rules? Can ordinary Albertans turn Stampede into amateur lobbying hour? And will Stephen Carter remember his best line long enough to use it at Stampede? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. 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.
Jul 6

Episode 4040: The Ground Games

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down the latest referendum fundraising numbers and ask why conservative federalists seem to be getting out-organized by the separatists. Then they strategize what Corb Lund’s Water Not Coal campaign should do after its petition failed validation by Elections Alberta. Can the stay-in-Canada side turn scattered efforts into a real coalition? Should Water Not Coal fight the ruling in court, or in the court of public opinion? And with the Ground Games underway, who are the odds really favouring? Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. 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.

The Strategists Podcast Network represents a growing slate of political programming examining campaigns, governance, and the practice of political strategy. Described as “shockingly insightful” and “sports talk radio for politics.”

Website

The Strategists Network

Top Shows

Episode 4046: Ride Until Die

Episode 4045: From the DMs

Ministry of Podcasts: Episode 7

The Jeff Sloychuk Memorial Episode

Episode 4044: How Carney Falls

Episode 4043: The Money vs The Many

Episode 4033: That Thing That Breaks the Camel

Episode 4035: The 45 Million Ballot Problem

Episode 4039: Amateur Lobbying Hour

Episode 4040: The Ground Games

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