Kathleen Petty sits down with politicians, pundits, and other thoughtful westerners for conversations about the priorities, preoccupations and politics of Albertans and others who are West of Centre.
Kathleen Petty sits down with politicians, pundits, and other thoughtful westerners for conversations about the priorities, preoccupations and politics of Albertans and others who are West of Centre.
Health care in Alberta is getting a massive makeover, as the UCP government introduces what it calls a dual-practice surgery model. Critics fear that by allowing some surgeons to simultaneously practice in both the public and private system, a patient’s wait time will be determined by their wallet. The province says it wants to try something new to solve wait times, and at least one panelist contends it’s time Canadians destigmatize the word "privatize."
The plan comes as Alberta’s auditor general drops the receipts on the failed bid to privatize lab services in the DynaLife deal, and it is taxpayers who are on the hook for a tab worth over $100 million.
There are questions about the risk to Premier Danielle Smith and her government as they invoke the notwithstanding clause for a second time in less than a month to shield three pieces of legislation affecting transgender youth from legal challenges.
And as the federal and Alberta governments inch closer to reaching a memorandum of understanding on a new pipeline to the west coast, B.C.’s premier is shocked to find out he wasn’t invited to the party – but Saskatchewan’s premier was.
West of Centre host Kathleen Petty is joined at the table this week by Evan Menzies, a vice-president at Crestview Strategy and former head of communications for the United Conservative Party; Shannon Greer, a senior consultant at New West Public Affairs, who worked in Rachel Notley’s NDP government; and Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary.
Host: Kathleen Petty | Producer and editor: Diane Yanko | Guests: Shannon Greer, Evan Menzies, Lisa Young