Advertise on podcast: The Line: Alberta Podcast

The topic of Alberta separation has been thrust into the national spotlight, amid the ongoing petition campaign by separatists to force a referendum, and reports about possible U.S. involvement. We've heard provocative comments from Trump's treasury secretary and other Republican and MAGA figures. We've also had new reports about Alberta separatist delegations to Washington, D.C. to seek out meeting with Trump administration officials The group Forever Canadian was launched last year to either head off a referendum or beat the separatists to the punch. However, subsequent legislative tweaks allowed the Alberta government to bypass the duplicate petition rule, and bypass the "no unconstitutional questions" rule to make sure the separatists could proceed with their petition (under the new lower signature threshold, of course). We speak with Forever Canadian founder - and former Alberta MLA and cabinet minister - Thomas Lukaszuk about why Premier Smith went out of her way to accommodate the separatists, what she needs to say and do about possible foreign interference, the concerns about this moment of political uncertainty, and where this is all headed. Forever Canadian is now shifting from a petition-oriented cause to one now focused on defeating separatism at the ballot box.

In this episode of The Line Alberta podcast, host Rob Breakenridge explores two big topics of interest right now in Alberta: why the U.S. is suddenly so interested in a possible Alberta independence referendum, and what it's going to take to meaningfully diversify the export markets for Alberta oil so that we're less reliant on the Americans. First, a conversation with National Observer columnist Max Fawcett on the current state of debate over Alberta separatism and to what extent we should worry about American interference. Last week's Trump's treasury secretary went out of his way to mention a possible Alberta separation vote, and other MAGA and Republican figures have been talking openly about Alberta becoming the 51st state. What do we need to hear from Alberta's premier about this potential meddling and just what the plan is when it comes to a possible referendum? Also, amid the broader conversation around Canada's evolving trade relationship with the United States, we'll take a closer look at how that impacts Alberta's oil exports and how realistic it is to quickly and significantly increase exports to new markets. Much of that revolves around a potential new pipeline to the west coast, but there are still many hurdles to that project. We'll hear from Richard Masson, executive fellow at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy. He's also a former CEO at the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission - an agency that seems suddenly relevant in the Alberta government's strategy. 

In this episode of The Line: Alberta podcast, host Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at the growing concern over the state of acute care in Alberta and what many doctors are describing as a crisis in the province's emergency rooms. Calls have been mounting for the Alberta government to declare a state of emergency in acute care, and those calls have grown louder following the high-profile death of a 44-year-old man in an Edmonton ER in lace December. The man's family said he was suffering from chest pains, but died in the ER after waiting eight hours for case. The province has launched a fatality inquiry into the case. Our guest this week is Dr. Warren Thirsk, president of the Alberta Medical Association's emergency section. Dr. Thirsk shares with us his firsthand experience and what he's witnesses on the front lines of emergency care, and get his assessment on what's led to the current pressure on the system and the persistent problem of acute care running at near- or overcapacity. We'll also get his reaction to some of the steps the Alberta government has announced - including a pilot project using so-called triage liaison physicians - and what needs to be done longer term to stabilize and strengthen the system.

In this episode of The Line: Alberta podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at the latest water crisis in the city of Calgary following the latest catastrophic failure of a crucial water line. As Calgarians face weeks or months of water use restrictions and costly and lengthy work on the system, an independent panel (established after the last crisis, just 18 months ago) has released its findings, which are quite scathing when it comes to Calgary's oversight and management of the water system. So much of this was preventable, it seems. We'll hear two different perspectives on the situation: Kerry Black is an associate professor and Canada Research Chair at the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary. We'll get her perspective on what caused these problems and what needs to change moving forward, both in terms of how the system operates and how businesses and households use that system. We'll also have a perspective from an expert in the industry: Micheal Montanero is with SmartAqua Technology Solutions, which works with communities and businesses to minimize water loss. One of the findings in the panel's report on Calgary's water system was how serious the issue of water loss was becoming amid an aging and crumbling infrastructure. We'll hear Micheal's thoughts on how Calgary dropped the ball and what the lessons other cities should learns from this crisis.

In this week's episode of The Line Alberta podcast, Rob Breakenridge sits down for a conversation with Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie, who just recently became leader of the Alberta Party. Guthrie, of course, started the year as a member of Danielle Smith's cabinet, before stepping down over his concerns about how the government was handling the controversy around health care contracts and procurement. His calls for a public inquiry into the matter led to his expulsion from the UCP caucus. Since then, Guthrie has become a sharp critic of the Smith government and has been organizing to present Albertans with a more moderate - and federalist - conservative option. Efforts to revive the Alberta PC Party have been met with lawsuit threats from the UCP and ultimately legislative roadblocks in the form of Bill 14. In this episode, we discuss Guthrie's own political journey and what future holds for the Alberta Party and its possible rebranding. We'll also discuss the referendum question whether the UCP has been co-opted by the separatist movement, and what it all means for the possibility of an early election in 2026.

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge speaks with Stephen Buffalo, who is president and CEO of the Indian Resource Council, board chair of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, and a member of the Samson Cree Nation. The Assembly of First Nations has voted to call on the federal government to withdrawal the Alberta-Ottawa memorandum of understanding (MOU) on a new pipeline deal and to express support for the First Nations on the BC coast who have spoken out against the proposal. Stephen Buffalo, though, maintains that the AFN resolution was pushed through without meaningful debate and that the process excluded the Indigenous voices that support energy development and see the benefit in partnerships and ownership stakes in such projects. The Indian Resource Council, for example, represents more than 150 First Nations. We'll get Buffalo's perspective on how the conversation about First Nations and energy developments needs more balance and how much progress has been made with government and industry on moving projects forward with Indigenous involvement and partnership. He believes that there is tremendous opportunity for communities to generate wealth and employment opportunities and that these First Nations can also help be guardians when it comes to ensuring environmental protections. Certainly the issue of Indigenous consultation and participation will be front and centre as this MOU and the pipeline project move forward. We'll find out what a successful path forward might look like.

Two big topics in this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta podcast, as Rob Breakenridge breaks down the hugely significant Alberta-Ottawa memorandum of understanding (MOU) on energy as well as Alberta’s proposed health reforms that will open the door for physicians to practice in both the public and private systems in the hopes of bringing down wait times. We begin the episode with a conversation with Robert (RJ) Johnston, director of energy and natural resources at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy. We’ll get his thoughts on the significance of the Alberta-Ottawa MOU and the potential impact of the policy concessions made by both sides. We’ll also look at what still needs to happen to make a new west coast pipeline a reality, including the question of who, exactly, will build and own this project. We’ll also be joined in this episode by Dr. Brian Day, founder of the Cambie Surgical Centre, an award-winning surgeon, a former president of the Canadian Medical Association, and author of the new book “My Fight for Canadian Healthcare: A Thirty-Year Battle to Put Patients First.” We’ll get his reaction and analysis of Alberta’s proposed healthcare changes, and whether he believes this represents the sort of health reform that our system needs. 

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at one of the more fascinating stories emerging from the recent municipal elections: the political evolution and successful comeback of Jeromy Farkas In this conversation with Calgary's new mayor, we reflect on his political journey from firebrand city councillor, to unsuccessful mayoral candidate, to the political wilderness, to the comeback trail. Farkas 2.0 eked out a narrow win in the recent election - an election that also saw the defeat of the incumbent who bested Farkas four years ago, and featured - for the first time - municipal political parties in Alberta's two largest cities. We also discuss the many challenges facing the new mayor and the rest of the new city council and the commitments to making Calgary a safe and affordable city, while also meeting the housing needs of a rapidly expanding metropolis. The mayor also speaks to some of the more immediate controversies and debates that have flared up at city hall in the short period since the election.

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at the debate over direct democracy and how opponents of the government have taken advantage of the UCP’s own voter recall and citizen initiative laws. In the aftermath of the teachers’ strike and the government’s use of the notwithstanding clause, a number of UCP MLAs are now being targeted with voter recall campaigns. The Alberta Federation of Labour has also announced its intention to try and force referendums on a number of issues, including the use of the notwithstanding clause. All of that is in addition to the two previously approved referendum petitions: the Forever Canadian anti-separatist campaign (now going through the verification process) and a campaign to force a vote on private school funding (currently in the signature-collecting phase). The government recently denied a request from the chief electoral officer for an additional $13-million to ensure that Elections Alberta has the resources to manage and administer all of these petitions and potential referendums and recall votes. Our guest this week is Dr. Jared Wesley, professor of political science at the University of Alberta and co-author of the new book “No I in Team: Party Loyalty in Canadian Politics.” We’ll get his take on whether this tumult was predictable when the UCP brought these laws in, and what this all might be leading to in 2026.

In this episode of The Line Alberta podcast, Rob Breakenridge sits down for an in-person conversation with former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. As Alberta faces a possible independence referendum next year, Jason Kenney is becoming increasingly vocal about the need to take on the separatists and to make the case for a united Canada. We'll hear more from Mr. Kenney about why he's been more visible and more vocal these days, why he feels compelled to make the conservative case for a united Canada, and what's at stake for Alberta in a possible referendum campaign. He's also got plenty to say about the need for Ottawa to listen to and address Alberta's concerns and how the federal government - and other provincial governments - can help strengthen the case for national unity. We'll also hear his thoughts on what the separation debate in Alberta tells us about the struggle to control and define the conservative movement.

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at the debate around the notwithstanding clause and Alberta’s decision to invoke Section 33 of the Charter as part of their back-to-work legislation to end the teachers’ strike.  First of all, we’ll hear a defence of the notwithstanding clause and Alberta’s decision to apply it in this situation. We’ll hear from Geoffrey Sigalet, director of the UBC Research Group for Constitutional Law, an assistant professor of political science at UBC Okanagan, and senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. He argues that Alberta is on solid legal and constitutional ground with its BIll 2. On the other side, however, the Alberta Federation of Labour is quite outraged over BIll 2, and the use of the notwithstanding clause specifically. They’re describing it as an attack on organized labour and labour rights in the province. The AFL has even raised the spectre of a general strike in response to the government’s actions. We’ll hear from AFL president Gil McGowan.

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at the Alberta government’s decision to introduce back-to-work legislation.  Alberta teachers went on strike over three weeks ago and after virtually no progress was made at the bargaining table, the Alberta government has taken the opportunity with the fall sitting of the Legislature underway to use the metaphorical hammer to end the strike. Bill 2, the Back to School Act, was tabled in the Legislature Monday afternoon. The expectation is that classes will resume on Wednesday (Oct. 29).  In bringing an end to the strike, the government is taking two very controversial steps: they’ll be invoking the notwithstanding clause to shield the back-to-work legislation from a Charter challenge and they’ll also be imposing a four-year contract on teachers - the terms of which are very similar to those contained in the offer that was widely rejected by teachers in late September. Suffice to say, this will not go over well. In this episode, Rob speaks with Peter MacKay, an Alberta teacher who was previously lead negotiator for the Alberta Teachers Association. We’ll get his thoughts on how things got to this point, what led to the strike in the first place, and the pressures teachers are dealing with amid all of these unresolved issues.

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at the controversy surrounding procurement at Alberta Health Services and what we learned last week with the release of a major report into the matter. Retired Manitoba judge Raymond Wyant was brought in by the province to conduct a third-party investigation into the contract for the 2022 purchase of children’s pain medication, as well as contracts to conduct publicly-funded surgeries at private clinics. The report concludes that there were conflicts of interest and that policies were not followed, but it also found no evidence of wrongdoing by any elected officials or any political staffers. The premier's former chief of staff, Marshall Smith, has also denied any wrongdoing.   The opposition, though, has pointed to limits in the scope of this investigation and say the report only strengthens the case for a public inquiry. In this episode, a conversation with Carrie Tait, reporter with the Calgary bureau of The Globe and Mail. She has done some important work on this story and helped bring many aspects of this controversy to light. We’ll get her insight on what this report uncovered, what questions remain unanswered, and where this whole scandal goes from here.

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at the debate around education funding in Alberta. The province-wide teachers’ strike has helped to illustrate some of the challenges and frustrations that have been building up in the public school system. Alberta’s population has risen rapidly in recent years, and it’s been a challenge for the system to keep up with sufficient space and teacher levels, leading to crowded classrooms and stressed out educators. Along the way, Alberta has seen its per-student education funding fall to the lowest of all the provinces. Alberta is also unique in the public dollars that support private education. That funding follows the student and represents 70 per of what the per-student public funding. The broader debate around education policy has drawn in this particular aspect of the Alberta system - should Alberta continue to spend public dollars on private education. In this episode, we’ll hear two different perspectives on that question. Alicia Taylor is a high school chemistry teacher in Calgary and is the organizer of a petition campaign that is hoping to use Alberta’s legislation to force a referendum on ending public funding of private schools. Meanwhile, Catharine Kavanagh is western stakeholder director at the think tank Cardus - they argue that Alberta’s emphasis on choice in education - and the diversity of options outside of the public system - delivers many benefits.

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at the big pipeline announcement last week from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Basically, the Alberta government intends on acting as the main proponent in a pipeline application in the hopes that Ottawa will pick up the ball and green light such a project through the Major Projects Office.  But there are a lot of specific details lacking here and a lot of questions as to how this will all work. There is no doubt, though, that there is a tremendous amount of political symbolism surrounding a new major project, and this all comes as the Alberta Next process winds down and other more domestic issues threaten the premier’s attempts to keep the relationship with Ottawa at the forefront. In this episode, Rob chats with Max Fawcett, Calgary-based lead columnist for Canada’s National Observer. We’ll get his thoughts on the strategy behind the premier’s announcement and if her goal and preference is to get a deal with Ottawa or continue to clash with the feds. Plus, what next for Alberta Next as well as the possibility of a potential separation referendum?