The Carney era has officially begun. In his first week in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Mark Carney signalled a break from the performative theatrics that have defined federal politics in recent years. His new Liberal government is moving swiftly — scrapping the consumer carbon tax from law, cutting income taxes, and — more ambitiously — planning legislation to fast-track major national infrastructure projects.

But skepticism is already mounting. Some Indigenous and environmental groups are voicing early concerns about whether promised consultations will be meaningful. Carney may be extending an olive branch to Alberta, but whether it results in a new pipeline remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is grappling with growing separatist sentiment from within her own United Conservative Party. With party insiders pushing for a referendum on independence, Smith is walking a political tightrope. And she may not be the only one. As Pierre Poilievre campaigns to return to Parliament via a byelection in rural Alberta, could he face similar pressures?

This week on West of Centre, host Kathleen Petty speaks with Laura Osman of The Logic, Dave Cournoyer of the Daveberta podcast, and University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young.

Danielle Smith’s extended political honeymoon, Naheed Nenshi’s lukewarm debut, and Alberta’s identity crisis — all captured in a fresh batch of polling data commissioned by CBC Calgary. On this episode of West of Centre Short, host Rob Brown speaks with pollster Janet Brown and data scientist John Santos to explore where Alberta’s political winds are blowing at the halfway mark of the current UCP government’s mandate.

From voter impressions of the Alberta premier and her NDP challenger to shifting seat projections and separatist sentiment, the numbers tell a compelling story — one of “stick it to Ottawa” politics, polarization, and a province still wrestling with its feelings about Canada.

*Note: This survey was conducted between May 7 and 21 with a representative sample of 1,200 Albertans. Margin of error is ±2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Fore more details, go to cbc.ca/calgary

When Tim Hodgson stepped up to the podium at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, he struck a tone rarely met with optimism in Alberta — especially from a Liberal cabinet minister.

In this episode of West of Centre, guest host Jim Brown breaks down the early signals from Canada’s new Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, as Hodgson attempts to reset Ottawa’s rocky relationship with Western Canada’s energy sector. A former chair of Hydro One and board member at MEG Energy, Hodgson brings both Bay Street credentials and oilpatch familiarity. He's leaning into both.

Panelists Grant Sprague, former Alberta deputy energy minister; Globe and Mail energy reporter Emma Graney; and Bill Whitelaw, chair of the Canadian Society for Evolving Energy, weigh in on whether Hodgson’s mix of financial savvy and prairie roots can translate into real results.