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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips unpack the strategy behind the federal NDP leadership race as voting begins, check in on the budget fight unfolding in Nova Scotia, and talk about the rarely discussed cost of maintaining a political image in the age of constant cameras.

First: the mechanics of a ranked-ballot leadership race. What do campaigns actually do once voting begins? How do second-choice alliances form behind the scenes, and why do turnout and member mobilization matter more than anything else in the final weeks?

Then: Nova Scotia politics. Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender joins the show to explain how public protests forced Premier Tim Houston’s government to partially reverse controversial budget cuts, and why telling human stories can still change political outcomes.

Plus: the cost of a political face. From wardrobe budgets to cosmetic procedures to the constant scrutiny of cameras and social media, the panel discusses the financial and personal pressures women and gender-diverse politicians face that most voters never see.

Leadership race strategy, opposition politics, and the realities of modern political image.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Have a comment or idea? email us: suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca

Guest

MLA Claudia Chender

https://www.claudiachender.ca/

Mentioned in this episode

Left East to West Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/5GLYrK3yElLMVYAML7W1gt

Shannon's Substack

https://shannonphillips.substack.com/p/a-middle-power-but-actually

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This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil and Leah Ward are joined by Dr. Bronwyn Bragg, a human geographer at the University of Lethbridge who studies labour migration and precarious work.

First, the politics behind Alberta’s proposed immigration referendum. The panel breaks down what the questions actually say and what they imply. How do complicated policy issues become simple political narratives? And what happens when those narratives start shaping public opinion?

Then, the economics beneath the rhetoric. Using Brooks, Alberta and the meatpacking industry as a case study, Bronwyn explains how temporary foreign workers fit into the province’s labour market and why industries that depend on migrant labour are often missing from the political conversation.

Finally, facts, feelings, and the politics of immigration. When economic anxiety and housing pressure collide with political messaging, why do facts often fail to change minds? And what responsibility do political leaders have when public debate moves from policy into identity?

Immigration policy, labour markets, referendum strategy, and a reminder that behind every political talking point are real communities and real people.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Guest:

Bronwyn Bragg, PhD

https://bronwynbragg.ca

Have a comment or idea? email us: suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca

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This week on Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips break down three political pressure points, and what they reveal about leadership in high-stakes moments.

First: The fallout from the Tumbler Ridge tragedy in B.C. After reporting revealed OpenAI had flagged violent content from the alleged shooter but did not alert authorities, the panel digs into AI regulation, public safety, and the politics of crisis response. How fast can governments realistically move? And when international media drives the story, does that change the pressure on Ottawa?

Then: Alberta’s referendum fight. With multiple groups organizing against separatism, and others pushing citizen initiatives of their own, is decentralized activism a strength or a liability? What does effective organizing actually look like before the writ drops?

Plus: a new segment, The Opinionati. When progressive columnists publicly question Naheed Nenshi’s leadership, what happens inside caucus? Is this a real warning sign — or just the hyper-engaged political class talking to itself? And if there is a pivot coming, what would it look like?

Have a comment or idea? email us: suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca

AI, organizing, narrative control, and a reminder that sometimes the most strategic move is to touch grass and calm down.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

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This week, Annalise is away and Shannon Phillips and Leah Ward are joined by pollster and data scientist Kyla Ronellenfitsch, President of Relay Strategies, to cut through three dominant narratives: Alberta separatism, immigration backlash, and the supposed rightward shift among young voters.

First: new reporting reveals Alberta separatist organizers meeting with officials at the U.S. State Department. How seriously should we take the movement? And what happens if it collides with Trump-era trade politics?

Then: immigration. Is public concern rooted in xenophobia, the pace and direction of recent policy, economic anxiety, or all three? The panel examines what the data shows, why “out of control” has become such a powerful frame, and whether progressives may be reinforcing the very fears they’re trying to counter.

Plus: are Gen Z voters really drifting right? Kyla shares research challenging the “young men gone conservative” narrative and introduces a revealing contrast in Canadian politics: TV Dad vs YouTube Bro.

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Finally: Pierre Poilievre’s rough week, polarizing favourables, and what happens when a campaign narrative flips.

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Guest:

Kyla Ronellenfitsch, President of Relay Strategies

Substack: relaywithkyla.substack.com

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In the debut episode of Balance of Power, Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips unpack new polling showing 29% of Albertans would vote to leave Canada, and why that number could shift quickly in a referendum. They debate the messaging war behind separatism, the silence from business leaders, and what a Brexit-style shock could mean for the province.

Plus: what an Edmonton community league on the brink of closure reveals about volunteer burnout, third spaces, and the state of democratic participation.

And finally, Mark Carney’s new national auto strategy — billions in public money, shifting EV rules, and a fundamental question: if companies want to sell cars in Canada, should they be required to build them here?

Welcome to Balance of Power.

Have a comment or idea? email us: suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca

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