Balance of Power

A political podcast for people who know politics isn’t polite. We talk about who holds power, how it’s used, and why the process can make even reasonable people swear. Serious conversations with real-world stakes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Balance of Power is a news podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 30 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Balance of Power, a news show with 30 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #30

  The Abortion Fight Has Changed

  Sep 30, 202642 minS1

  Canada has some of the strongest legal protections for abortion in the world. So why do reproductive-rights advocates say the fight is changing rather than ending? This week on Balance of Power , Annalise Klingbeil sits down with Frédérique Chabot, executive director of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, to talk about where the abortion fight is happening now. First: abortion may be legal in Canada, but access is shaped by geography, the health-care system and provincial policy. Fred explains why her organization is also watching the politics of trans rights and gender-affirming care — and the political strategies that can move from one issue to another. Then: the fight moves online. Fred breaks down what she calls the “betrayed woman” narrative: messaging that draws on real frustrations with women’s health care to encourage women to reject hormonal contraception. They talk about influencers, algorithms, misinformation and why the digital information environment has become a new front in reproductive health. Finally: where does a national reproductive-rights organization focus when health care is largely delivered by the provinces? Fred talks about connecting the dots between local fights and national trends, the future of public health care, and what Action Canada is watching across the country. Abortion access, gender-affirming care, contraception, misinformation and the changing politics of reproductive rights. Welcome to Balance of Power . Have a comment or idea? Email us at suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca Join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for extended episodes and ad-free listening: patreon.com/strategistspod Guest: Frédérique Chabot — Executive Director, Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights Get your tickets for The Strategists Live!: strategistliveshow.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #29

  How Did We Get Here?

  Sep 24, 202635 minS1

  What happens when a government calls a snap election two years early — and the opposition is still trying to figure out who it is? This week on Balance of Power, Shannon Phillips and Leah Ward are joined by Nikki Hill, co-host of the Left East to West podcast, to break down David Eby’s surprise election call, the collapse and reconstruction of the B.C. Conservatives, and why British Columbians are heading back to the polls on October 24. First: how did we get here? From the razor-thin 2024 result and the folding of B.C. United, to repeated Conservative leadership turmoil and a caucus that has struggled to hold itself together, Nikki walks through the political chain reaction that brought B.C. to another election. Then: why now? The panel looks at Eby’s argument for a fresh mandate amid a one-seat majority, the trade war, forestry, major projects, housing, healthcare and affordability — and whether voters will see the election as necessary or simply opportunistic. Plus, for Patreon subscribers: what does a truly snap election look like on the ground? Candidate recruitment, campaign managers, swing seats, resource triage, municipal-election overlap, and what organizers actually do when they suddenly have just over a month to build a campaign. A snap election, a fractured right, a one-seat majority, and 32 days to figure out what comes next. Welcome to Balance of Power . Have a comment or idea? Email us at suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca Join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for extended episodes and ad-free listening: https://www.patreon.com/strategistspod Guest: Nikki Hill — co-host of Left East to West https://www.youtube.com/@LeftEasttoWest https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/left-east-to-west/id1870368396 Get your tickets for The Strategists Live!: Edmonton - October 13: https://strategistliveshow.ca/calgary Calgary - October 27: https://strategistliveshow.ca/edmonton (yes you read those links correctly) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #28

  No Safe Seats

  Sep 16, 202636 minS1

  What happens when a seat everyone assumed was safely Conservative suddenly flips? This week on Balance of Power , Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips break down the Calgary-Shaw by-election upset, what actually drove the result, and why everyone seems to be taking a different lesson from the same vote. First: the shock. The NDP wins a seat it had no business winning based on recent history, without an obvious right-wing vote split. Was it candidate quality, ground game, referendum anger, dissatisfaction with the UCP, or some combination of all of it? Then: what the result means for Calgary politics. The panel looks at Kyle Campbell’s appeal, the role of healthcare, schools and affordability, whether the referendum actually moved votes, and why “no safe Conservative seats in Calgary” is suddenly a much more credible political message. Plus, for Patreon subscribers: the campaign mechanics behind the result. Why advance voting is changing how campaigns organize, how parties pull identified supporters to the polls early, and whether the UCP simply got out-organized on the ground. Calgary-Shaw, candidate recruitment, referendum politics, Nenshi momentum, ground game, and what happens when a supposedly safe seat stops looking safe. Welcome to Balance of Power . Have a comment or idea? Email us at suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca Join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for extended episodes and ad-free listening: https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #27

  Pull the Fire Alarm

  Sep 9, 202650 minS1

  What happens when the agency responsible for running Alberta’s referendum is already warning that it is stretched too thin? This week on Balance of Power , Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips look at growing concerns around Elections Alberta, the referendum process, and what happens when public confidence starts to erode before voting day even arrives. First: referendum watch. With hundreds of thousands of special ballots already requested, confusing paperwork in the mail, and Elections Alberta itself warning about chronic understaffing, does the agency have the resources it needs to administer one of the biggest votes in Canadian history? Then: the trade war enters a new phase as Canadian counter-tariffs take effect. Mark Carney is leaning into a new style of direct-to-camera political communication, while Leah and Shannon argue that Ottawa still has much more work to do to protect workers if the economic pain deepens. Plus, for Patreon subscribers: Calgary city hall erupts over a confidential budget leak, Jeremy Farkas calls bullshit, and the panel asks what happens when politicians decide the rules no longer apply to them. Elections Alberta, special ballots, public trust, tariffs, EI reform, and whether it’s time to pull the fire alarm. Welcome to Balance of Power . Have a comment or idea? Email us at suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca Join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for ad-free episodes and access to extended episodes of Balance of Power: https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #26

  You Can’t Half-Win This

  Sep 2, 20261h 4mS1

  What does it mean to win a referendum if the result still leaves the separatist movement alive and kicking? This week on Balance of Power , Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips look ahead to Alberta’s referendum and ask what a decisive federalist victory would actually have to look like. First: turnout. More than 200,000 Albertans have already requested special ballots, but does that tell us anything about who is motivated, which side has the advantage, or how ugly election day could get with ten separate questions on the ballot? Then: Shannon argues that simply winning is not enough: if separatists come out of the referendum with 30 or 35 per cent support, does Alberta really get to move on, or does the issue dominate provincial politics for years to come? Plus, what AOC’s social media series says about reproductive health, political communication and reaching audiences far beyond the usual political conversation. Plus, for everyone: the long-awaited return of the Balance of Power Quarterly Report, with what Annalise, Leah and Shannon have been reading, watching and obsessing over lately. And a reminder that Patreon subscribers get extended episodes and no ads. Turnout, separatism, healthcare, affordability, AOC, books, and why sometimes winning isn’t enough. Welcome to Balance of Power . Have a comment or idea? Email us at suggestionbox@balanceofpowerpod.ca And if you like the show, join the Strategists Podcast Network Patreon for extended episodes and no ads: https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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