The Strategists

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down British Columbia’s suddenly competitive election and what David Eby and the BC Conservatives need to do over the next month. Can the Conservatives win by focusing on affordability and simply staying sane? Is Alberta’s referendum one move away from breaking open? And how much is Carter going to be able to say if he keeps saving all the good stuff for the live shows?Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.Get your tickets for The Strategists Live:https://strategistsliveshow.ca/Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.https://www.patreon.com/strategistspodYou can also watch our episodes on YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into Alberta’s referendum fight and the political chaos engulfing British Columbia. Is Danielle Smith trying to use the nine referendum questions to contain separatism, or simply keep it alive? Should David Eby call an early election while the BC Conservatives are in free fall, or would that risk repeating Jim Prentice’s biggest mistake? And is the most complicated part of Alberta politics now just figuring out which Strategists live show you bought tickets for?Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.The Strategists Live!:Edmonton - October 13: https://strategistliveshow.ca/calgaryCalgary - October 27: https://strategistliveshow.ca/edmontonJoin our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.https://www.patreon.com/strategistspodYou can also watch our episodes on YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

Shannon Phillips and Conspiracy Zain dive into the Alberta NDP’s surprise Calgary-Shaw victory, what it says about the UCP’s vulnerability in Calgary, and whether the result changes the political calculus heading into the referendum. Is there really no such thing as a safe Conservative seat in Calgary anymore? Does this win give Naheed Nenshi a new opening, or just tempt the NDP to learn the wrong lessons? And is Conspiracy Zain onto something about what the UCP might do next, or has the tinfoil hat fully cut off the circulation?Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.Join us live in Edmonton and Calgary:https://strategistsliveshow.ca/calgary (Edmonton Tickets)https://strategistsliveshow.ca/edmonton (Calgary Tickets)Read Forward Weekly:https://forwardweekly.caJoin our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspodYou can also watch our episodes on YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down Alberta’s new $4 million referendum advertising campaign, what the government’s creative says about its polling, and whether a massive spending advantage can actually overcome a muddled message. Does the government’s softer language on immigration reveal a strategic vulnerability? Can the opposition turn a David-versus-Goliath funding gap into an advantage? And has the live-show ticketing system become too confusing even for the people who created it?Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.The Strategists Live:Edmonton — October 13, 2026strategistsliveshow.ca/calgaryCalgary — October 27, 2026strategistsliveshow.ca/edmontonJoin our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspodYou can also watch our episodes on YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips rank the people, politicians, and campaigners on Alberta’s stay-in-Canada side. Who is actually moving votes? Are the BC Conservatives about to split themselves into two parties? And has Carter replaced AFL tipping with referendum power rankings?Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line. Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord. https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspodYou can also watch our episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspodLIVE SHOWS: October 13 in Edmonton at the Horowitz Events Centre, and October 27 in Calgary at the Bella Concert Hall. One before the referendum. One after. Tickets coming soon.

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down Mark Carney’s response after Canada walks away from a trade deal with the United States, and what comes next when the relationship shifts from negotiation to trade war. Was this the exact moment Carney was hired for? How does Canada fight back? And can a great view really make up for the worst VRBO laundry room in Squamish?Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspodYou can also watch our episodes on YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

Shannon Phillips and Zain Velji talk about what the Alberta NDP should actually be doing this summer, from candidate recruitment and Calgary-Shaw to the referendum and rural opposition to AI data centres. Should the NDP run directly against separatism in Calgary-Shaw? Can listening to angry rural voters turn a local issue into an electoral opportunity? And how does Stephen Carter have time for an hour-long phone call but not enough time to record the podcast?Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspodYou can also watch our episodes on YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips talk about what happens when the strategist becomes the spokesperson, whether the political backroom still exists, and why Carter is discovering that dealing with the public may be the hardest part of running a campaign. Then they dig into the strange out-of-province donations flowing to the Alberta Republican Party and the loopholes that could allow even more money to move through Alberta politics without anyone knowing where it came from. How much money would it actually take to seriously disrupt the referendum? Is voter suppression a bigger risk than anyone wants to admit? And is Jason Kenney becoming a Conservative elder statesman, or quietly auditioning for Pierre Poilievre’s job?Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspodYou can also watch our episodes on YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod