Rephonic
Artwork for West of Centre

West of Centre

CBC
Alberta
Canada
Danielle Smith
Mark Carney
NDP
Calgary
United Conservative Party
Donald Trump
Conservative Party
UCP
Tariffs
Pierre Poilievre
Justin Trudeau
Naheed Nenshi
Oil and Gas Industry
Alberta Politics
United States
Edmonton
Referendum
Daniel Smith

Canada is complicated. Alberta has opinions. Ride shotgun with host Kathleen Petty on West of Centre for conversations about the state of politics in Canada, as power and influence shifts West. Whether you live here or just can't look away, you’ll get the no-nonsense analysis you need to make sense of it all.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes161Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for West of Centre

Latest Episodes

A usually routine process to draw new riding maps has become politically charged in Alberta after the governing UCP tossed an independent report months in the making. A second report, supported by Danielle Smith’s government, splits apart some urban ... more

On Power & Politics, host David Cochrane asks decision-makers the questions that matter – and gets answers. Every weekday, we feature hard-hitting interviews with politicians and leaders, check in with CBC’s top political journalists for updates on b... more

A conservative alliance between B.C. premier-designate Lorne Doerkson and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith seems likely, but isn’t guaranteed. West of Centre host Kathleen Petty looks at past frosty relationships between conservative Alberta and B.C. p... more

Premier Danielle Smith joins host Kathleen Petty after a divisive Alberta referendum. Albertans are clear on their desire to remain a province of Canada. But parts of the province, and Smith’s own party, remain at odds. Separatists still hold United ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Strategists
The StrategistsStephen Carter, Zain Velji, Corey Hogan, Shannon Phillips
The Herle Burly
The Herle BurlyAir Quotes Media
Curse of Politics
Curse of PoliticsAir Quotes Media

Recent Guests

Lorne Doerkson
Premier-designate of British Columbia and leader of the BC Conservative Party
BC Conservative Party
Episode: Monday Listen from Power & Politics: Meet B.C.’s premier-designate
Kaja Kallas
Vice-President of the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
European Commission
Episode: Monday Listen from Power & Politics: Meet B.C.’s premier-designate
Mike McDonald
Former chief of staff to Christy Clark and host of the B.C. political podcast Hotel Pacifico
Kirk & Company
Episode: Blue wave out west. Will Doerkson and Smith align?
Melissa Caouette
Public policy advisor and political strategist, and former special advisor to Alberta premier Jim Prentice
MC Consulting
Episode: Blue wave out west. Will Doerkson and Smith align?
Danielle Smith
Premier of Alberta and leader of the United Conservative Party.
Government of Alberta
Episode: Was this referendum worth it? We ask Danielle Smith
Jason Markusoff
CBC producer and writer based in Calgary who covers Alberta politics.
CBC
Episode: Was this referendum worth it? We ask Danielle Smith
Alex Boyd
CBC senior reporter
CBC
Episode: Referendum results: Alberta votes to remain
Jayme Poisson
Host of Front Burner, a daily news podcast
CBC
Episode: CFB Wainwright tragedy + the final Alberta referendum push (via Front Burner)
Thomas Lukaszek
Former Alberta cabinet minister who led a petition supporting Alberta remaining in Canada
Episode: CFB Wainwright tragedy + the final Alberta referendum push (via Front Burner)

Hosts

Kathleen Petty
Host of the show; CBC/West of Centre involvement; long-standing Western Canadian political journalist and interviewer
Jason Markusoff
CBC journalist; producer/writer; contributes journalistic context and production oversight

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 488 ratings
  • Excellent

    Thanks for sharing these conversations. They matter.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jveness
    Canada3 months ago
  • Excellent show

    Rob Breakenridge is excellent - please have him back. I definitely want to pick up Tyler’s book, too.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RebeccaSaw
    Canada6 months ago
  • Sticks and Stones

    Can’t you find anyone more intelligent than Erika to speak for the right?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Chez Green MD
    Canada7 months ago
  • Loved “Breaking Point”

    I loved Kathleen’s discussion with the authors of Breaking Point. I would vote for the party whose platform contained the suggestions put forth in this book.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BC PJ
    Canadaa year ago
  • Recent podcast

    Smitb going to the USA and Florida when Trump was speaking of the Prime Minister as a Governor and Canada as becoming the 51st state was disgusting and purely playing to the UPC extreme base. This was about sovereignty and Canadians agreed with “elbows up”! Trump tempered this talk which then allowed Carney to go to the White House. It’s sound politics pure and simple. He doesn’t need to have “elbows up” given the rhetoric has stopped.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Wiretap1
    Canadaa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Positive notes on host engagement and guest expertise.
Appreciation for data-driven polling discussions and historical context.
Some critics call for more diverse viewpoints and less perceived partisanship.
A few episodes are criticized for perceived bias or echoing familiar voices.
Listeners value the Western perspective and depth of policy discussion.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#73
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#248
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#175
Finland/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#188
Colombia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Blue wave out west. Will Doerkson and Smith align?
Q: Do these three provinces constitute a block?
Melissa Caouette says they can act as a bloc, but their influence may be limited because the federal government must weigh political support in Ontario and Quebec. Mike McDonald adds that the provinces have cooperated on some matters but can diverge when their own interests differ.
Blue wave out west. Will Doerkson and Smith align?
Q: Imagine you're on a trip to Africa and had no idea that there was about to be a leadership change and while you're on your way home, they call you and say, we'd like you to be the leader. And then about 48 hours later, you're in the middle of a general election campaign. That is what happened to Lorne Doerkson.
Mike McDonald describes Doerkson as a humble small-town businessperson and former newspaper publisher from Williams Lake, with a community-minded style influenced by mentor Donna Barnett.
Monday Listen from Power & Politics: Meet B.C.’s premier-designate
Q: How can Canada and Europe work together in that threat matrix with the changing politics in certain countries in Europe, and Russia certainly showing no signs of backing away?
Kallas says Canada and the EU support Ukraine diplomatically, politically, economically and militarily, and have imposed sanctions on Russia. She argues they must continue strengthening Ukraine so it can defend itself and negotiate from a position of strength.
Monday Listen from Power & Politics: Meet B.C.’s premier-designate
Q: How do you keep the unity going?
Doerkson says he is committed to unifying the party, leading with respect, and bringing members with differing views together around the platform presented to British Columbians.
Was this referendum worth it? We ask Danielle Smith
Q: Was it worth it?
Smith says the referendum was worth holding because separatism had gained support and hundreds of thousands had signed petitions seeking a debate. She argues the vote provided businesses and families with certainty that most Albertans want to remain part of Canada.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About West of Centre

What is West of Centre about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The program centers on Western Canadian politics, with a strong focus on Alberta's evolving role in federal dynamics, energy policy, and regional identity. Episodes feature a rotating roster of policy experts, journalists, and former politicians who unpack Alberta's relationship with Ottawa, debates over sovereignty versus unity, and the economics of energy, pipelines, and governance. Notable strengths include a Western-leaning perspective, data-driven polling discussions, and deep historical context that helps listeners understand how Alberta's politics shape the national conversation. The show often hosts two distinct viewpoints on contentious issues, offering listeners pragmatic analysis, policy nuance, and behind-the-scenes context that... more

Where can I find podcast stats for West of Centre?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for West of Centre. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to West of Centre and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does West of Centre get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for West of Centre, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for West of Centre?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for West of Centre, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does West of Centre have?

To see how many followers or subscribers West of Centre has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to West of Centre?

These podcasts share a similar audience with West of Centre:

1. The Strategists
2. The Herle Burly
3. The House
4. Curse of Politics
5. Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

How many episodes of West of Centre are there?

West of Centre launched 7 years ago and published 161 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact West of Centre?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for West of Centre?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for West of Centre from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for West of Centre?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of West of Centre. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on West of Centre?

Recent guests on West of Centre include:

1. Lorne Doerkson
2. Kaja Kallas
3. Mike McDonald
4. Melissa Caouette
5. Danielle Smith
6. Jason Markusoff
7. Alex Boyd
8. Jayme Poisson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days