Balance of Power

Strategists Media Corporation
  • 4.9 (11)
  • POLITICS

A political podcast for people who know politics isn’t polite. We talk about who holds power, how it’s used, and why the process can make even reasonable people swear. Serious conversations with real-world stakes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 2D AGO

    A Polluted Process

    In a week where Alberta politics somehow got even messier, what happens when the process itself becomes the problem? This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil and Shannon Phillips dig into the escalating fallout from the alleged misuse of Alberta’s voters list, the separatist petition, and why a data leak involving nearly three million Albertans is about much more than privacy. First: the list. Elections Alberta has sent hundreds of cease and desist letters, political names are being searched, and people with real safety concerns are left wondering who has their information and what they might do with it. Then: the referendum question. If the petition process was built on allegedly unlawful access to voter data, can any referendum that follows be trusted? And who needs to step up to restore confidence before Albertans are asked to vote? Plus: blame, agency, and the politics of “not my fault.” From Danielle Smith’s response to Arlene Dickinson’s viral post, Annalise and Shannon look at how responsibility gets shifted, how stories break through, and what ordinary Albertans can actually do next. Voters lists, cease and desist letters, separatists, public trust, and what it means when the democratic process gets polluted. 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/c/strategistspod Mentioned in this episode: Arlene Dickinson's Instagram Carousel https://www.instagram.com/p/DYAgKmqEpo0/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min

  2. MAY 1

    Gay Enough?

    Balance of Power: Gay Enough? In a moment when trust in democracy feels fragile, what happens when the basic machinery of politics becomes the story? This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward, and Shannon Phillips dig into the Elections Alberta investigation, the alleged misuse of the list of electors, and why a story about voter data is not just procedural, but deeply personal. First: the list. Who is supposed to have access to voter information, what is it meant to be used for, and why does alleged misuse by separatist organizers raise such serious questions about privacy, safety, and democratic trust? Then: sport as politics. The federal government is making a major investment in sport, but the conversation quickly turns to something bigger: community, belonging, national identity, and why a playoff crowd might tell us more about unity than another press conference. Plus, for Patreon subscribers: the Alberta NDP’s difficult moment. New polling shows the UCP still riding high and Naheed Nenshi struggling to break through. Is this a leadership problem, a message problem, a Calgary problem, or just the brutal work of opposition in a fractured media environment? Privacy, trust, sports, sovereignty, polling, and what it takes to rebuild political attention when everyone is looking somewhere else. 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/c/strategistspod Mentioned in this episode: Alberta Referendumb https://albertareferendumb2026.ca/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min

  3. APR 23

    Solving the Wrong Problem

    If the problems keep getting worse, are we even solving the right one? This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil and Leah Ward take on a set of decisions that feel increasingly out of step with how people actually live. From time changes to family planning to public consultation, they walk through what happens when policy targets miss the mark. First: daylight saving time. Alberta is moving toward making it permanent—but what does that actually mean for winter mornings, daily routines, and how people function? Is this about convenience, or are we ignoring what the research says? Then: fertility in Alberta. A new report lays out the cost, access, and emotional toll of treatment, raising bigger questions about population growth, affordability, and what actually drives people’s decisions to have kids. And finally: the Alberta Next survey. After a long fight to release the data, what do the responses actually show? And what’s the point of consultation if the outcome is already decided? Policy, incentives, and what happens when we keep solving the wrong problem. 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/c/strategistspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  4. APR 15

    Picnic in a Thunderstorm

    In a moment where things feel like they’re slipping, what does control even look like? This week on Balance of Power, Shannon Phillips, Leah Ward, and Annalise Klingbeil step into a rough stretch for the Conservatives and unpack what happens when a party starts to wobble. From by-election losses to internal pressure, they walk through how instability takes hold and what it really takes to stop it. First: stopping the bleeding. What actually works when things start to slip? Is this about discipline, tone, or something deeper inside the operation? Then: the reset question. What does a real reset look like and who has to change for it to land? Can you adjust the message without changing the messenger? And finally: the long game. What does opposition look like when there’s no quick path back? How do you rebuild credibility, keep a team together, and plan for three years instead of three months? Strategy, tone, internal pressure, and what it means to lead when things aren’t going your way. 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/c/strategistspod Mentioned in this episode: Stand Up for Alberta’s Public Libraries https://www.caplibraries.ca/stand-up-for-albertas-public-libraries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min

  5. APR 9

    Does Anything Matter?

    Balance of Power: Does Anything Matter? In a political moment where lines are blurring and power is shifting, what actually matters anymore? This week on Balance of Power, Shannon Phillips, Leah Ward, and Annalise Klingbeil dig into the growing trend of floor crossing. They talk about what it says about political values and whether consistency still counts in modern politics. From party loyalty to power plays, they unpack how decisions are really being made and who they’re serving. Then: a rapid-fire round on housing, space exploration, and the moments shaping the conversation right now. Plus: our new segment, Quarterly Report, where the hosts share the small things keeping them grounded in chaotic times. 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/c/strategistspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min

  6. APR 1

    Legacy, Loss, and a New NDP

    What happens when a leadership win sparks tension inside the party? This week on Balance of Power, Shannon Phillips, Leah Ward and Shannon Greer reflect on the legacy of Stephen Lewis, unpack the implications of Avi Lewis’s decisive leadership win, and dig into what it all means for New Democrats across the country. First: legacy and loss. The panel reflects on Stephen Lewis’ impact on Canadian politics, the NDP movement, and the organizing culture that still shapes campaigns today. Then: the new leader. What does Avi Lewis’ win signal about where the federal NDP is headed? From shifts in labour relationships to a more populist policy approach, the hosts break down the opportunities, and risks, of this moment. Plus: Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck joins the show to talk about affordability, energy policy, and the realities of building a government-in-waiting. From a healthcare system pushed to the brink, to rising costs and soaring power bills, and the challenge of connecting policy to people’s day-to-day lives on the Prairies. “Legacy, Leadership, and What It Means to Be an Effective Opposition” Welcome to Balance of Power. Have a comment or idea? email us: suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca Guest MLA Carla Beck, Leader of the Saskatchewan NDP https://www.ndpcaucus.sk.ca/carlabeck Guest Host Shannon Greer https://www.newwestpublicaffairs.ca/shannon-greer Mentioned in this episode Stephen Lewis' Eulogy for Jack Layton https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.1715421 The Stephen Lewis Foundation https://stephenlewisfoundation.org/ Stephen Lewis GOTV Speech https://www.facebook.com/reel/2076947419829035 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min

  7. MAR 25

    Liberation in the Streets, Kettleballs in the Sheets

    Is this about rights or strategy? This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips talk kettlebells (kettleballs?) before digging into the politics behind the latest waves of anti-trans policy in Canada and what it reveals about how governments choose to fight. First: the framing. How “parental rights” moved from the margins to the centre of the debate and who it is actually for. Is this persuasion? Base mobilization? Or something else entirely? Then: the shift from clinical care to political conflict. What happens when decisions that used to sit with doctors, patients, and families get pulled into legislatures, and why that shift matters. Plus: the limits of the Charter. If governments are willing to test or override legal protections, what does that mean for how these fights play out going forward? And finally: if the courts are not enough, what options are left and what does an effective political response actually look like? Strategy, framing, legal limits, and what happens when politics moves faster than institutions. Welcome to Balance of Power. Have a comment or idea? email us: suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca Correction: Around 51:55 where Leah mentions the Alberta case before the courts, it is actualy the Saskatchewan challenge before the Supreme Court. Alberta had applied as an intervenor. As of recording Alberta's challenge is currently at the appeal stage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m

  8. MAR 18

    The Politics of the Scoop

    Big news. Serious business. No press conference. Just a leak. This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips dig into how this actually works. Government wants something out there. Not a scrum. Not a pile of questions. Their version. First. So it shows up in a column. A scoop. Headline already pointed where they want it. Why do it this way? What do they get out of it? And why does it still work? Then it gets into the weeds. Carbon pricing. Credits. Markets. How it’s supposed to work. How it actually works. Shannon Phillips walks through it. Why some companies are sitting on credits. Why the price isn’t what people think it is. And why this is heading for a fight with Ottawa. Policy is one thing. The story is another. Have a comment or idea? email us: suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus Strategists episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord. https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min
See All (13)

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

A political podcast for people who know politics isn’t polite. We talk about who holds power, how it’s used, and why the process can make even reasonable people swear. Serious conversations with real-world stakes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Strategists Media Corporation
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Strategists Media Corporation
  • Show Website
    Balance of Power

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