The federal election may be over, but Pierre Poilievre is not done campaigning. After losing his longtime seat in the Ottawa region, the Conservative leader is now focused on winning a byelection in rural Alberta—one of the party’s safest ridings. On this episode of West of Centre, three Conservative insiders discuss what this campaign could reveal about Poilievre’s political evolution. Can he adapt his tone and strategy to regain momentum and further expand support? Or will he double down on the populist messaging that’s defined his leadership so far?

Ben Woodfinden, Poilievre’s director of communications during the election, joins veteran political scientist Ian Brodie and disillusioned strategist Sarah Biggs to weigh the stakes—not just for Poilievre, but for the Conservative Party itself. How should he pitch his message in a riding that’s more sympathetic to separatist sentiment, while still maintaining credibility as a prime minister-in-waiting? And with a leadership review set for January, how much reflection and recalibration can he afford before time runs out?

As Prime Minister Mark Carney carves out centrist ground—borrowing from the Conservative playbook while pushing his own agenda—Poilievre may need to pivot from ideological combat to a message of competence and readiness. This episode explores what that shift could mean for the Conservative movement—and for a political system now settling into a prolonged two-party race.

Alberta is facing the prospect of its largest coordinated public-sector labour disruption in decades, with tens of thousands of workers poised to strike. Teachers, health-care professionals and government employees have voiced growing frustration with stalled negotiations — including 95 per cent of Alberta Teachers’ Association members voting in favour of strike action. On this episode of West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with Jason Foster, a professor of human resources and labour relations at Athabasca University, about what’s driving the unrest.

Foster says many public-sector workers have endured nearly a decade of stagnant pay, followed by surging inflation and the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alberta’s teachers were once the highest paid in Canada, but have since fallen behind their counterparts in other provinces. Class sizes are also a growing concern as the province’s population continues to rise.

What’s different this time, Foster says, is that union members — not leadership — are driving the push for better deals. Workers are rejecting mediated agreements they see as inadequate and demanding more from the bargaining table.

Alberta’s economy looks strong on paper, but many residents don’t feel better off. Despite record oil production, rising exports and the highest GDP per capita in the country, wage stagnation and uneven wealth distribution have left many Albertans frustrated. In this episode of West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty speaks with economists Alicia Planincic of the Business Council of Alberta and Jim Stanford of the Centre for Future Work to unpack the province’s economic paradox: how can a place so rich feel like it’s falling behind?

The conversation explores deeper structural issues, including weak capital investment, declining real wages across multiple sectors and whether job growth is keeping pace with population gains. The panel questions whether producing more oil would actually ease Alberta’s economic challenges and examines the role of provincial and federal policy in shaping the province’s fortunes.

Looking beyond the oilpatch, the episode also considers Canada’s broader economic strategy — from global trade risks to competition in AI — and what it will take to strengthen long-term growth.