The Strategists

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At the beautiful Myer Horowitz Theatre tonight to see @zainvelji.bsky.social, @sphillipsab.bsky.social and @carterab.bsky.social live on stage with @thestrategists.ca. (Last time they were in #yeg, they got me up on stage. This time, I’m just happy to be in the audience.) @haxim.ca #notothenine

The Strategists are live in Edmonton on October 13 — six days before Alberta votes. Politics, predictions, arguments, and a few things someone may regret saying. Tickets: strategistsliveshow.ca #abpoli #ableg #abreferendum

Turns out Question Period isn’t the only place @coreyhogan.ca gets heckled. #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli

No reason.

Who wore it better?

The Ground Games are underway. Some players are missing. Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down the fundraising numbers, ask where conservative federalists are, and strategize what Corb Lund’s Water Not Coal does after Elections Alberta rejected its petition.

On Canada Day, it’s worth remembering our love of our imperfect, maddening country is not conditional. Our Canadian-ness doesn’t come from whether govt enacts our preferred policy choices. If that were the case, social democrats like me would be the OG separatists! #ableg @thestrategists.ca

Everyone’s playing by different referendum rules, the questions are designed to steer the answers, and Stampede is becoming amateur lobbying hour. Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break it all down. Watch:

Stephen Carter and Zain Velji continue their live reaction to The Walrus debate at the Canadian Vote Summit. Do debates matter? Does Question Period matter? And is civility in politics a virtue or just another strategy? Watch now:

45 million ballots. 60,000 workers. One very long count. Stephen Carter and Zain Velji break down Elections Alberta's logistics challenge, the risk of a separatist mirage on counting night, and whether Pierre Poilievre is walking a tightrope Stephen Harper never would.

Danielle Smith may have finally found the issue she can’t spin away. The Strategists break down the growing backlash to Alberta separatism, the fight for “Team Canada,” and why the UCP suddenly looks a lot shakier than it did a month ago.

55% of UCP voters would vote to leave Canada. 45% would vote to stay. Stephen Carter breaks down why Danielle Smith’s referendum strategy may have turned a pressure release valve into a lose-lose-lose situation. Episode 4032: Everybody Loses now on Patreon. patreon.com/strategistspod

The Sask Party’s argument against relying on Alberta natural gas is apparently: “Look how Europe relying on Russian gas turned out.” Yes, really. 👇

How does a $900M government project turn into a $26 BILLION catastrophe? 📉 Double the bills, zero transparency. SaskPower Critic Aleana Young walks us through the escalating math that left the Premier completely speechless. 🍺 Hold my beer, indeed. Full episode: https://network.thestrategists.ca

The Strategists stay late at St. Andrew’s United Church for the second coming of their Edmonton live show with @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social. Voter list leaks, AI slopaganda, separatism, constitutional fights, and a crowd that absolutely refuses to leave.

A court blocked Alberta’s separatism referendum petition. Now Danielle Smith faces a movement she helped legitimize and may no longer fully control. Carter and Shannon break down why the “release valve” strategy may be turning on her.

New episode: Man on a Journey. Live in Edmonton, Carter gets his accountability episode on the Edmonton Accelerants, the million-dollar mayoral campaign that wasn’t, Alberta’s referendum fights, and why progressives may be overthinking themselves into paralysis.

New episode: List Price. Carter’s Alberta Liberal plan hits a wall. The crew also digs into the alleged leak and misuse of Alberta’s electors list, why voter data is so valuable, why this is about much more than a spreadsheet, and what happens next. Watch:

Producer Haxim “becomes a podcaster” after launching his Alberta Referendumb site. Carter breaks down his Alberta Liberal Party referendum plan, and Shannon talks about how the NDP lost its edge. New episode:

Carter’s got a plan and it starts with the rulebook. Zain and Shannon aren’t so sure. Is this a clever workaround or asking for trouble? Watch:

Not an Easy Pick: who should be Canada’s next Governor General, and what does that say about the country right now? Plus for Patrons: what the f--k is going on in Alberta.

Avi Lewis wins, and suddenly it’s Avi Lewis vs everyone. Provincial leaders scramble, lines get drawn, and the NDP’s internal tension goes public fast. Plus: the strategy behind Alberta’s electoral boundaries fight and who actually benefits. Watch:

Results from the most important poll in Canadian political history. Then: golden cats, free Saudi planes, and how stories actually gain momentum. Watch:

Stephen Carter’s radical healthcare views. Exposed.

An old clip of Avi Lewis mocking Shannon Phillips resurfaces, and suddenly the NDP leadership race gets interesting. Carter and Shannon break down activist politics vs governing politics and why the "Zohran model" doesn’t travel well to Canada.

A floor crossing shakes up the political chessboard, and costs Avi Lewis an endorsement in the NDP leadership race. What does it mean for the campaign heading into the final stretch? Carter, Phillips and Velji break down the strategy.

How do you actually fight a referendum? Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips walk through the strategy, the messaging traps, and the campaign mechanics behind Danielle Smith’s referendum push. Watch:

We all know who's really to blame.

Should Carney go early? With polls shifting and more floor-crossing chatter in the air, the strategic question isn’t politics, it’s timing. Is this the moment to lock in a majority? Or a risky gamble that could backfire? Watch here:

Danielle Smith’s nine-question referendum puts Alberta on the ballot. Is this a distraction — or the agenda? We break down the strategy, the framing, and the messaging traps. Watch the teaser: https://youtu.be/aGIMh8hMjO0 Get the full episode at strategistspatreon.com

Jeneroux “retired” straight into the Liberal caucus. Meanwhile, Jamil Jivani is freelancing and Danielle Smith is teeing up an immigration fight. Is this strategy? Or chaos? New episode of The Strategists. Watch now:

TV Dad vs YouTube Bro. Are we misreading the political moment? This week on Balance of Power: Alberta separatists meeting U.S. officials, immigration and the politics of “out of control,” the Gen Z narrative, and Poilievre’s rough week. Listen now: balanceofpowerpod.ca

New from The Strategists Podcast Network: Balance of Power A fresh lens on the forces shaping Canada’s future. In our debut: • Is Alberta separation gaining ground? • What does volunteer burnout mean for democracy? • Do billions in subsidies come with strings? 🎧

Often imitated, never duplicated.

The frame matters.

Be it resolved that this sitting of The Ministry of Podcasts is hereby called to order. The House hears testimony on QP, the mechanics of political conventions, and the long-term costs of short-term thinking. 🎧 Watch or listen: https://youtu.be/CEZTErcE8gE or wherever you get your podcasts

One of the core rules of politics.

The strategy of defiance.

https://bsky.app/profile/sarobertson.bsky.social/post/3mdlk2birod2n

Destabilization is the point.

This is the part people underestimate.

This is how democracies get pulled off course.