Alberta Report

Nigel Hannaford is joined by Western Standard reporter Leah Mushet to look at what AI is actually doing right now, from helping guide complex surgeries to producing confident but false information. They discuss the promise of medical AI, the fears raised by industry insiders, the risks of relying too heavily on tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, and why checking the original source still matters no matter how convincing the technology sounds.

Danielle Smith is putting growing faith in Mark Carney’s promises to deliver a new pipeline and improve Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa, but the piece questions whether political goodwill is enough to secure Alberta’s long-term economic future.

Josh Andrus fills in for Marty this week as he discusses that a single project does not resolve deeper concerns over federal power, equalization, investment uncertainty and the lack of lasting structural change, and asks what protects Alberta if Ottawa’s priorities shift again.

Cory Morgan, Nigel Hannaford, Dave Wiechnik and B.C. reporter Alex Zoltan break down British Columbia’s political chaos, from the snap election and Conservative rebound to land claims and property rights. The panel also tackles a controversial B.C. court ruling on illicit drugs, Truth and Reconciliation Day, unanswered questions surrounding Kamloops and a proposed West Coast oil pipeline.

If we are forced to observe a holiday calling for truth, then let’s say the truth out loud.

Nigel Hannaford speaks with Yaroslav Baran about how long Prime Minister Mark Carney’s strong polling can last without concrete results. They discuss Carney’s major-projects agenda, the Canada-U.S. trade relationship, federal spending and the political case for calling a snap election while his approval remains high. Baran says the window could close quickly if promised investment and a U.S. trade deal fail to materialize.

Marty Up North looks at Donald Trump’s latest criticism of Canada’s immigration system and his claim that the country is “destroying itself” through mass immigration. Marty also weighs Alberta’s proposed health-care fees for some new arrivals, B.C.’s snap election, Danielle Smith’s gas-tax pause, the countdown to Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum and the latest developments at the United Nations.

David Eby has called British Columbians back to the polls two years ahead of schedule, setting up a five-week battle after months of turmoil inside the B.C. Conservatives. Cory Morgan, Nigel Hannaford, Dave Naylor and Alex Zoltan break down Eby’s timing, the newly reshaped Conservative opposition, senior NDP departures and the issues that could determine whether the early election works as Eby intends.

People expressed dismay that independence advocates vow to continue to matter what the referendum determines. They had best get over it.

Nigel Hannaford speaks with Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms president John Carpay about judicial power and why he says the notwithstanding clause is an important democratic check on the courts. Carpay argues Section 33 should not be treated as an unusable “nuclear option,” but as part of the balance between elected governments and judges.

This week on Marty Up North, Marty looks at Mark Carney’s push for closer ties with the European Union as Canada’s trade fight with the U.S. intensifies. He also breaks down the NDP’s Calgary-Shaw byelection win, what it could mean for Danielle Smith and the UCP, new estimates on the cost of Alberta independence, changing interest rates, rising diesel prices and the latest escalation in Canada-U.S. trade tensions.