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After a week off, The Discourse is back, and Alberta politics is as chaotic as ever. We break down Alberta MLA Scott Sinclair’s budget rebellion and why getting booted from the UCP was inevitable, the RCMP’s deep dive into the AHS scandal (sorry, “The Allegations”), and the looming federal election now that Mark Carney has taken the Liberal helm. With caucus drama, corruption probes, and a political reset in Ottawa, there’s no shortage of hot takes.
Segment 1: The Scott Sinclair Situation
An MLA Rebels – Scott Sinclair, Lesser Slave Lake MLA, was booted from the UCP caucus after saying he wouldn’t support the budget.What Went Wrong? – We dig into how caucus discipline works and why his decision was a political no-go.Optics vs. Reality – Did he have a point, and could the government have handled this differently?Comparing to Guthrie – Why did Pete Guthrie survive his controversy while Sinclair got the boot?Indigenous Representation – The UCP now has zero Indigenous MLAs. What message does that send?Segment 2: The AHS Scandal – Or Should We Call It “The Allegations”?RCMP Investigation Begins – Was this inevitable, and what does it mean for the government?What About the Internal Review? – Will Albertans even care about the government’s own investigation now that the RCMP is involved?Rolling Crisis – No matter what happens, this is a PR nightmare that will keep dragging the UCP into the headlines.Statement of Defense Incoming – What will the government argue, and who else might submit one?Will Cheryl Finally Get an Answer on the 12%? – The most pressing question of our time.Segment 3: Are We Heading to the Polls?Mark Carney Takes the Liberal Leadership – A landslide 86% victory makes him Trudeau’s successor.How Will This Play in Alberta? – Can Carney win over Western Canada, or is he just Trudeau 2.0?Election Timing – Will the Liberals pull the trigger before the Conservatives define Carney?What Will This Election Be About? – Carbon taxes? Economic management? Who do Canadians trust more?What’s Next for the NDP? – Can Jagmeet Singh hold off an election, or is his party stuck in limbo?We’re back to weekly episodes, so make sure you subscribe on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify to stay up to date. Follow us on X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest takes. See you next Thursday at 5 AM! 🚨
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Cheryl Oates and Erika Barootes break down Alberta’s 2025-26 budget, tackling its $5.2B deficit, tax cut, healthcare, and education spending. Is this truly a conservative budget (Erika says no!), and what does it mean for Albertans?
Subscribe & Share: Follow The Discourse on social media, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Erika and Cheryl break down the latest developments in the UCP procurement scandal. Former Infrastructure Minister Pete Guthrie has resigned, citing concerns about government transparency. A lucrative land deal and more details about private surgical contracts are raising more questions.
Plus, questions are swirling about UCP influence over the Edmonton Police Commission, and the Premier’s handling of the controversy (or lack thereof).
🔹 Key topics in this episode:
Pete Guthrie’s bombshell resignation—what it means and what’s nextThe land deal linked to the procurement scandalNew data showing private surgeries costing double AHS ratesUCP’s quiet moves to take control of the Edmonton Police CommissionThe government’s next steps—and how this scandal might shape the narrativeNew episodes drop every Thursday at 5 AM—follow, subscribe, and stay tuned for our Budget Special on February 28!
📢 Join the conversation: What should this scandal be called? Comment below or hit us up on X, Instagram, and TikTok.
🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts!
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It’s been a rough week for the Alberta government. The former CEO of Alberta Health Services, Athana Mentzelopoulos, has filed a $1.7 million lawsuit against the province, setting off a chain reaction that now includes cabinet ministers breaking ranks and a major press conference from Premier Danielle Smith.
In this episode, Erika and Cheryl break down:✅ What the lawsuit means for the government’s credibility✅ Health Minister Adriana LaGrange’s future – is she on the chopping block?✅ Pete Guthrie’s bold cabinet confidentiality leak – calculated or accidental?✅ The political fallout: villains, victims, and strategic missteps
🎧 Plus: What does this mean for the UCP’s healthcare reforms? Are they losing momentum just as they try to reshape the system? And Erika dives deep into changes the government is making to the way mental healthcare is delivered and opens up about her own struggles.
📌 Also in this episode:📢 Smith’s last-minute decision to pull out of Washington – is it about the budget, or is she dodging bad press?💰 Alberta’s $10M eating disorder funding – are recovery centres really the best option?🔮 Can the government recover from this, or is the damage done?
👀 Next week: Special Pre & Post Budget Episodes!We’re doubling up with two episodes next week—before and after the budget drops. Don’t miss our analysis and hot takes!
🔔 New episodes every Thursday at 5 AM.📲 Follow us on X, Instagram, and TikTok for updates.👍 Like & subscribe on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts!
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The AHS bombshell that could bring down Alberta's Premier.
Plus, US tariffs are coming for your wallet: Hidden costs in your grocery cart and a hit to Alberta businesses.
Join us as we expose the explosive AHS scandal threatening the government, and get expert insights from Alberta Food Producers Association Executive Director, Bianca Parsons, on how tariffs will affect you and local industries.
Want to support local businesses? Go to madeinalberta.co and localizeyourfood.com to learn how. -
In a surprising twist, this episode explores how Premier Danielle Smith's diplomatic dance intersects with Justin Trudeau's unexpected moment of diplomatic finesse. Our hosts reveal a rare moment of cross-party solidarity, where even New Democratic and Conservative voices grudgingly acknowledge Trudeau's strategic tariff negotiations.
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Dive into the chaos of Alberta politics as we unpack the controversial COVID-19 report and explore Alberta’s uneasy ties with the Trump era. Plus, we dig deep into coal mining drama and the UCP’s policy flip-flops.
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We dive into Premier Danielle Smith's US strategy, her approach to President Trump’s tariff threat and what it reveals about her political calculus and end goals.
Tune in for sharp analysis, a few laughs, and some unexpected common ground.
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What’s making Cheryl unexpectedly admire the UCP? And why can’t Erika stop longing for Rachel Notley’s return? Alberta politics takes a personal turn in this fiery 2024 recap—don’t miss the revelations and hot takes!
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On this episode of The Discourse we take you on a journey through history on the one thing Alberta political parties have agreed on for over 100 years, and it's not Taylor Swift! In a world where rats thrive almost everywhere, Alberta -on brand- stands as a defiant outlier. We talk to Alberta's rat control expert, Karen Wickerson about how and why.
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In this episode of The Discourse, we take a hard look at the UCP's controversial restructuring of Alberta Health Services (AHS). What's driving these changes, and are they delivering results—or creating more problems? Tune in as we unpack the motives, the impact, and what it all means for health care in Alberta.
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In this episode of The Discourse, we get honest about our own parties: what bugs us and what we wish they would do differently. Plus- how the two sides campaign and who is doing it better in 2024. The consensus may surprise you!
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In this episode of The Discourse, we talk about what the Alberta UCP has been up to lately- things that seem boring but could have significant consequences for Albertans -- including firing the AIMCo board and CEO, interfering in professional bodies and messing with riding boundaries.
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In this episode of The Discourse Podcast, Cheryl Oates and Erika Barootes talk about the US election and what it means for Canada, Premier Danielle Smith's leadership review, Naheed Nenshi's leadership strategy and the shifting tides in Saskatchewan’s political scene.
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Don’t miss a minute of this episode, as Danielle Smith holds nothing back: answering her critics, assessing her biggest wins, and plotting out her next three years as premier.Thank you for subscribing to our YouTube channel and telling your friends and family to do the same!
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.
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Cheryl's still wrapping her mind around Erika's argument re: the UCP getting banned from Pride. Don't miss that exchange midway through this episode. But first, we take a look at renowned pollster Janet Brown's latest numbers. Stick around as Erika and Cheryl analyze the "new look" Alberta NDP.
Thanks for liking and sharing this episode, and subscribing to The Discourse on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts!
Don't forget to follow us on X @TheDiscourse__ and on Instagram @thediscoursepod
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.
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The UCP introduces yet another contentious bill aimed at municipalities. Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse joins Erika and Cheryl post-leadership debate…or was it the “hugging town hall”?
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What and how you approach a policy or legislative rollout that’s gone sideways can not only make you look stupid, it can have huge impacts on the voter confidence in your leadership. We discuss current BIll 20, the NDPs contentious Bill 6, and how capital gains increase will play out federally.
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.
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Political parties will be players in Alberta's next municipal election for the very first time. The change, ushered in by the Danielle Smith government's Bill 20, is definitely controversial. But is it undemocratic? Has the UCP gone too far? We dig into what Bill 20 means for political parties...and what it means for you.
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.
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With the growing concerns of fires and drought across the province, Erika and Cheryl discuss what's causing this, what are the impacts, and what government's role is to protect Albertans from natural disasters. We also cover the NDP leadership as they lead up to their first debate.
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.
- Visa fler
