Show Notes
In a moment when Prairie politics feels increasingly untethered from reality, what happens when governments start making generational decisions while chasing internal political pressure?
This week on Balance of Power, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips are joined by Saskatchewan NDP MLA Aleana Young to unpack Saskatchewan’s stunning $26 billion coal gamble, the politics driving it, and why the fight over energy policy is becoming a proxy for something much bigger across Western Canada.
First: the coal bombshell. Aleana Young walks through the leaked SaskPower documents showing the true cost of rebuilding and operating Saskatchewan’s coal plants, why the government’s numbers kept changing, and how a plan sold as affordability could end up doubling power bills.
Then: governing for the base. From separatism to immigration rhetoric to attacks on institutions, the panel digs into what happens when premiers stop trying to persuade the broader public and start managing internal party pressure instead.
Plus, for Patreon Subscribers: Danielle Smith’s looming referendum speech. What arguments will she make, who will she blame, and how do governments chip away at trust in courts, institutions, and democratic norms while claiming to defend democracy itself?
Coal, courts, separatism, healthcare collapse, Prairie politics, and the risks of governments that seem increasingly adrift.
Welcome to Balance of Power.
Have a comment or idea? Email us at [email protected]
Join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for extended ad-free episodes and access to our exclusive Discord: https://patreon.com/strategistspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from The Strategists
Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dissect David Eby’s snap election gamble in British Columbia and Danielle Smith’s search for new enemies after Alberta’s referendum. Was calling the election Eby’s original sin? Why have some political parties become so obsessed with costed platforms and looking serious that they've forgotten how to actually win elections? And will Stephen survive being held accountable for his own political sins at The Strategists Live in Calgary?
Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into an emergency episode after Prime Minister Mark Carney explicitly endorses “No to the Nine,” just days before Alberta's referendum. Will Carney's endorsement give the No to the Nine movement a final boost? With more than a million ballots already cast, has he arrived too late to make a difference? And has Mark Carney just made Stephen Carter the most insufferable man in Canadian politics?
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.
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?
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?