Alberta Unbound

Former Deputy PM Anne McLellan, former Alberta NDP Environment Minister Shannon Phillips and CPC strategist Ken Boessenkool examine the entrails of the federal election - and confront the threat of Alberta separatism 

Chief Conroy Sewepagaham of the Little Red River Cree Nation talks about “making noise up north” as he works to lead his community through recovery from not one, but two, devastating wildfires.

Bloomberg's White House correspondent Josh Wingrove reports in from the front lines of Trump's trade war. 

Activist and author Jesse Lipscombe on Alberta's Black history, the power of radical patience, and building coalitions of resistance.  Link to Return to Amber Valley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsRkZz1KJB0

Political pundit Graham Thomson on why and where Mark Carney, Chrystia Freeland and Pierre Poilievre are all playing up their Alberta roots. 

Dishing the dirt on soil health and regenerative agriculture with Kimberly Cornish, Shorty Fensky and Yamily Zavala.

How Narwhal editor Emma Gilchrist's childhood in oil and gas country shaped her commitment to environmental journalism.

The Hon. Ron Ghitter was an architect of Alberta's first human rights legislation. Now, undaunted at 89, he's fighting to protect it.

Right wing trolls have dubbed Dr. Kristopher Wells Canada's most dangerous Senator. Now meet the real Kris Wells, Alberta's “proudest” new Senate representative.

Join Independent Senator Paula Simons of Alberta and Senator Ratna Omidvar of Ontario as they co-host the final roundtable on municipal issues, inspired by Senator Simons' Senate inquiry into the role of municipalities in Canada today. They are joined by Mayor Dawn Arnold, Mayor of Moncton, New Brunswick; Dr. Kennedy Stewart, professor at Simon Fraser University, the former mayor of Vancouver and a former NDP MP; Lewis Cardinal, Project Manager at Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre in Edmonton; Edmonton City Councillor Keren Tang; and Mary Rowe, President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute. Youtube link to video version of the panel

Rejoignez la sénatrice indépendante de l'Alberta, Paula Simons, alors qu'elle anime la deuxième enquête sur les municipalités, modérée par la sénatrice indépendante de l'Ontario, Bernadette Clement. Cette conversation met en vedette des maires franco-canadiens éminents de partout au pays, plongeant dans le sujet vital des municipalités et de la préparation aux urgences. Ils ont le privilège d'être rejoints par la mairesse Elisa Brousseau de Bonnyville, AB, le maire Eric Marquis d'Edmundston, NB, et l'ancien maire de Gatineau, Maxime Pendinaud-Jobin. Lien Youtube vers la version vidéo de cette table ronde   Join Independent Albertan Senator Paula Simons as she hosts the second municipalities inquiry, moderated by Independent Ontario Senator Bernadette Clement. This conversation features prominent French-Canadian mayors from across the country delving into the vital topic of municipalities and emergency preparedness. They are privileged to be joined by Mayor Elisa Brousseau of Bonnyville, AB, Mayor Eric Marquis of Edmundston, NB, and former Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pendinaud-Jobin. Youtube link to the video version of this panel (in French only)

Independent Albertan Senator Paula Simons moderates a panel of prominent Canadian experts on the topic of infrastructure and municipalities. She is joined by former federal Cabinet Minister Hon. Lisa Raitt, former Calgary Major and current Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, Bridgewater Mayor David Mitchell, urban planner and Co-Chair Commissioner of the Vancouver City Planning Commission Amina Yasin, and York University Professor Dr. Zac Spicer. This conversation was recorded in late January 2024. Youtube link to the video version of this panel

Senator Simons talks to Alex Marshall and Kristy Harcourt about proposed legislation that will negatively affect the health and privacy rights of the transgender community. Alex Marshall works for the University of Alberta's College of Health Science, where she is the college's Strategic Initiatives Officer for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Kristy Harcourt is a social worker in clinical practice and therapist who devotes much of her practice to counselling trans kids and their families. She is a social work instructor at MacEwan University, the organizer of Edmonton's annual Queer Prom and a long time gay rights activist.

As part of Freedom to Read Week celebrations, Senator Simons moderated a panel discussion with journalists Danielle Paradis, Jason Markusoff, and Jonny Wakefield on the state of journalism. This event was presented in partnership with the Edmonton Public Library, LitFest, and Calgary Public Library. Jonny Wakefield has been with the Edmonton Journal/Sun newsroom since 2017. He is now the courts and crime reporter, covering the Edmonton Law Courts and other justice issues. He came to Canada from the U.S. as a student in 2009 and became a dual citizen in 2020. Danielle Paradis is an award-winning Indigenous (Métis) magazine writer, journalist, editor, educator, podcaster and mentor who lives in Treaty 6 (Edmonton, Alberta). She has written for both local and international audiences. You can read (or hear) her work at Aboriginal Peoples Television (APTN), Canadaland, Chatelaine, The Walrus, Alberta Views, Toronto Star (Edmonton), Canadian True Crime Podcast, and The Sprawl. Danielle covers politics, arts and culture, and Indigenous Issues. Danielle loves a good FOIP story and studied investigative journalism, story-based inquiry method, at the Centre for Investigative Journalism out of the UK. She has journalism, focusing on advanced reporting and reporting on diverse communities at MacEwan University and Humber College. She has also worked for a non-profit, Indigenous Friends Association, that focuses on connecting traditional knowledge and digital technology for Indigenous youth. She also has a background as a literary editor for Other Voices and in-depth media experience in both television and audio journalism. Jason Markusoff has been writing about what's happening – and not happening, but maybe should – in Alberta for more than two decades. He's a writer, editor and producer with CBC Calgary, and before that he's been a correspondent for Maclean's, Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal. He's on Twitter a lot less these days, for patently obvious reasons. Paula Simons was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2018, after a long and distinguished career as one of western Canada's most acclaimed journalists. She has been a radio documentary-maker, a playwright, and an author of popular history, but she is best known for her work as a political columnist and reporter with the Edmonton Journal.

Senator Simons speaks with Corb Lund about western history, storytelling, his evolution from heavy metal urban rocker to western troubadour, his battle against coal mining on the Eastern Slopes, and his brand-new album, El Viejo. (This interview was recorded January 16, 2024.)

Senator Simons speaks to Timothy Caulfield, Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy and Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta, about the Canadian and global rises of health misinformation and disinformation. Timothy's books, including Relax: A Guide to Everyday Health Decisions with More Facts and Less Worry and The Science of Celebrity . . . or Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?, can be found here.

Senator Simons interviews Canada's newly appointed Supreme Court Justice, the Honourable Mary T. Moreau, about growing up franco-albertain, her groundbreaking legal career, and moving to bilingual Ottawa.  (This interview was recorded on November 29, 2023.)

Senator Simons speaks with Dr. Emily Laidlaw, Karen Unland, and Jen Gerson about current and future communications issues.  Dr. Emily Laidlaw is Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity Law and Associate Professor of Law at the University of Calgary. Jen Gerson is a co-founder of The Line and a commentator and journalist who has contributed to the CBC, the National Post, Maclean's, the Walrus, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. Karen Unland is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Taproot Edmonton, the creator of the Alberta Podcast Network, and co-host of the podcast That's a Thing?!

Senator Simons speaks to Dr. Eric Adams and Dr. Andrew Leach about the recent Supreme Court of Canada reference judgment, which found the Impact Assessment Act unconstitutional by a vote of 5-2.    Dr. Adams is a Professor in the University of Alberta Faculty of Law. Dr. Leach is a Professor of Economics and Law at the University of Alberta. His new book is Between Doom and Denial: Facing Facts About Climate Change. Dr. Leach will be speaking about his new book, Between Doom and Denial: Facing Facts About Climate Change, during an upcoming series of McGill Max Bell Lectures. Event and ticketing information can be found below:  October 19, 2023 in Ottawa, Ontario: Can governments promise a just energy transition in Canada? October 25, 2023 in Calgary, Alberta: Will the world use enough of our oil and gas? November 2, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec: Do Canada's cold temperatures mean we shouldn't worry about climate change?

(September 2023) The Alberta Government recently announced its intention to move forward with splitting from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and creating a separate Alberta Pension Plan (APP). Senator Simons speaks with University of Calgary professors Dr. Lindsay Tedds and Dr. Trevor Tombe about the possibility of Alberta moving out of the Canada Pension Plan and about the Alberta Pension Plan report that was released earlier this month. Following this new discussion of the APP report is a rebroadcast of our February 2023 episode, in which Senator Simons speaks to a panel of experts about the Canadian Pension Plan and the pros and cons of a possible Alberta Pension Plan. Panelists: Dr. Lindsay Tedds, Associate Professor in Economics at the University of Calgary; Deborah Yedlin, President & CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce; Ricardo Acuna, Executive Director of the Parkland Institute; Dr. Trevor Tombe, Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary; and  Dr. Leo de Bever, Senior Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute. 

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Senator Simons hosts a panel discussion with panelists Teresa Woo-Paw, Gary Mar, Nathan Ip, and K. Linda Tzang.

Senator Simons speaks with environmental author Ed Struzik about wildfires and the current Alberta wildfire emergency. 

Senator Simons speaks with diversity and inclusion professional Marni Panas.

Senator Simons speaks to a panel of experts about the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) and the pros and cons of a possible Alberta Pension Plan. Panelists: Dr. Lindsay Tedds, Associate Professor in Economics at the University of Calgary; Deborah Yedlin, President & CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce; Ricardo Acuna, Executive Director of the Parkland Institute; Dr. Trevor Tombe, Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary; and  Dr. Leo de Bever, Senior Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute. 

Senator Simons speaks with the administrator of Mstdn.ca, Chad Ohman about what has been called the Mastodon migration. Mstdn.ca Senator Simons on Mastodon Chronos Vocal Ensemble - Choristers Private Tears  

Senator Simons moderates the 2022 University of Alberta Chancellor's Forum on Food for the Future. Panelists include Dr. Ellen Goddard, University of Alberta professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences; Gleise M. da Silva, the first BCRC-Hays Chair in Beef Production Systems; Isha Datar, the Executive Director of New Harvest, a nonprofit research institute that funds open, public cultured meat research; Alison Sunstrom, the founder/CEO of CNSRV-X Inc. (Conserve X) and Co-CEO/Founder of GrowSafe Systems Ltd.; and Dr. William “Bill” Shotyk, the Bocock Chair in Agriculture and Environment at the University of Alberta.

Senator Simons speaks with Cape Breton cartoonist Kate Beaton about her graphic memoir, Ducks; her two years spent in the Alberta oil sands; and how the East coast and Alberta influence each other.

Senator Simons speaks to Vice News senior reporter Mack Lamoureux about his deep Franco-Albertan roots and his journalistic focus on extremist groups in Alberta and Canada. 

Senator Simons speaks with Cree/Iroquois/French journalist and author Brandi Morin about the papal visit to Canada, reconciliation, and the meaning of Wood Buffalo National Park.

Senator Simons speaks to Cree/Iroquois/French journalist and author Brandi Morin about her memoir, Our Voice of Fire: A Memoir of a Warrior Rising.

Senator Simons speaks to playwright, writer, composer, performer, director, and queer historian Darrin Hagen.

Senator Simons answers questions following the 2022 Merv Leitch, QC Memorial Lecture to the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. 

Senator Simons delivers part two of the 2022 Merv Leitch, QC Memorial Lecture to the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. 

Senator Simons delivers the first part of the 2022 Merv Leitch, QC Memorial Lecture to the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. 

Senator Simons interviews former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Beverley McLachlin about her time as a jurist in Ottawa, differences between the Canadian and American Supreme Courts, and her bestselling mystery novels. 

Senator Simons speaks with former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Beverley McLachlin about her Alberta roots, Alberta identity, and the true nature of freedom.

Senator Simons speaks with Edmonton rapper and poet Cadence Weapon.

Sen. Paula Simons sits down with the history-making new mayors of Edmonton and Calgary.

Sen. Paula Simons continues the conversation with an expert panel on equalization, its past and future.

Everything you ever wanted to know about equalization, as Sen. Paula Simons hosts an expert town hall.

Cheryl Whiskeyjack and Omar Yaqub on what Indigenous and immigrant Albertans can accomplish together.

Aaron Paquette on truth, reconciliation and bringing light.

Lawyer Avnish Nanda on looking for justice.

Calgary entrepreneur Lourdes Juan, on the burden of the model minority.

Chaldeans Mensah on the bus ride from Toronto to Edmonton that changed everything.

Natalie Pon, on one Chinese-Albertan's Covid-19 epiphany.

Barry Morishita, mayor of Alberta's most multicultural city: Brooks.

Journalist Tomi Ajele on Afros in Alberta, BLM, and true meaning of the Calgary Flames.

Political scientist Yasmeen Abu-Laban on multiculturalism's forgotten Alberta roots.

They said he'd never amount to anything. Indigenous MD Alika Lafontaine on beating odds and labels.

After years of being locked into a boom-and-bust resource economy, after years of battling against redneck stereotypes, after years of fighting for their future, how do Albertans create the Alberta they want? And what should that Alberta look like? In the fifth and final installment of Alberta Unbound, host Paula Simons, and her panelists -- Dr. Jared Wesley, a professor of political science from the University of Alberta; Shannon Stubbs, the Conservative MP for the riding of Lakeland, northeast of Edmonton; Dr. Diana Steinhauer, the president of Yellowhead Tribal College, and an elder with the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Treaty Six territory; acclaimed journalist and documentary-maker Omar Mouallem,  and author and former Alberta cabinet minister Doug Griffiths – tackle some tough questions from an Edmonton audience.