News and analysis from the Western Standard team along with special guests

Seven of nine anti-energy laws neutralized in a single day as Alberta trades carbon capture for policy concessions – leaving industry to wonder if the cost of victory is a $16-billion anchor.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan break down Danielle Smith's pipeline negotiations with Mark Carney, the backlash driving recall efforts against UCP MLAs, and a new documentary exposing the practice of late-term and live-birth abortions in Canada.

Cory talks about how union led efforts to flood the recall and referendum systems in Alberta may kill a good concept.

In this discussion with Nigel Hannaford, Johnston also weighs in on recent city controversies, including the raising of the Palestinian flag. While acknowledging the mayor's discretion, he stressed fairness and transparency.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, Cory Morgan, and Will Barclay break down Alberta's use of the notwithstanding clause, a potential healthcare reform that could challenge the Canada Health Act, and how the federal budget ultimately passed in Parliament.

Cory talks about how the slow march to Marxism is speeding up as the government moves toward a UBI plan.

It's unbelievable. Canada now runs on two energy economies — one in the West, burdened by costly “net-zero” regulations, and another in the East, fuelled by billions of dollars' worth of imported foreign oil untouched by such rules.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan are joined by Will Barclay to discuss the controversy at the University of Calgary over painting over the Palestinian flag, Ottawa's plan to turn bureaucrats into part-time soldiers, and growing attacks on Pierre Poilievre's leadership.

Cory talks about how giving unfettered authority to native reserves while not applying any responsibility to them is creating a disaster.

This latest budget risks triggering a new round of inflation through excessive borrowing and a weak follow-through on policies supposedly intended to foster growth. video Thus, economist Dr. Tim Sargent, Director of Domestic Policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, with extensive government experience at the deputy minister level. Appearing on Hannaford tonight, Sargent says the Carney government deserves credit for at least recognizing Canada's core economic problems, short-term trade disruptions caused by U.S. protectionism, and a long-term productivity crisis rooted in poor private-sector investment.

erek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford and Cory Morgan are joined by Elise Mills to discuss the Liberals' growing majority through floor crossings, the federal government's record-breaking budget and Alberta unions launching a “total recall” campaign against UCP MLAs.

Cory talks about how the work from the Alberta Prosperity Project and Thomas Luksaszuk makes it clear Albertan's want to put independence to a vote.

Expectations are grim for next week's budget, the Carney government's first — and indeed, the first Canada has seen in more than 18 months: a record deficit, limited room to manoeuvre, and what the prime minister himself has warned will require “sacrifice” (from Canadians, of course...) But according to political strategist Yaroslav Baran, this week's guest on The Hannaford Show, Canadians should prepare for something stranger than mere belt-tightening.

Tony Keller, columnist for The Globe and Mail and author of Borderline Chaos: How Canada Got Immigration Right and Then Wrong, joins Western Standard's Derek Fildebrandt to dissect how Canada's once-admired immigration model went off course. Keller explains how temporary migration exploded under the Trudeau government, the economic and social fallout that followed, and why restoring border control and public confidence is key to avoiding the U.S.-style chaos now reshaping Western politics.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan are joined by Alise Mills to dissect Ford's costly U.S. ad blunder, the Alberta teachers' strike, and how a group of die-hard federalists may have accidentally sparked an independence vote.

Cory talks about how unions are out of control and it's time to facilitate worker choice.

Political advisor Patrick Poilievre tells Hannaford that Calgarians want reform – but apathy, bureaucratic bloat and city hall's unresponsive culture stand in the way.

Derek Fildebrandt and Nigel Hannaford are joined by Alise Mills, and Lindsay Wilson, filling in for Cory Morgan on this week's episode of The Pipeline. The panel breaks down the results of Alberta's recent municipal elections and dives into the chaos surrounding the BC Conservatives.

Lindsay Wilson of Link Strategies fills in for Cory Morgan this week, unpacking the recent municipal elections and asking the big question: should Bill 20 stay or go?

Ottawa claims power when they want to stop projects — but none when it's time to lead.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan are joined by Alise Mills to tear into Canada's immigration chaos and the judges protecting criminals from deportation. They expose Ottawa's new hate speech bill as another attempt to silence dissent and examine the uneasy ceasefire in Gaza as freedom comes under fire both in Canada and abroad.

Cory talks about how the Alberta government must not just hold its ground against the teachers union, but must push back.

Ian Brodie warns that the Alberta Teachers' Association could copy Take Back Alberta's playbook to seize influence at the UCP's November convention.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan are joined by Alise Mills to dive into Alberta's teacher strike and Derek's proposal to turn union schools into charter schools. They discuss the harsh sentences handed to Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, examine Danielle Smith's showdown with Mark Carney over new pipeline approvals, and react to the cancellation of comedian Ben Bankas's Calgary show for being “offensive.”

Cory talks about how Premier Smith has been a great Alberta advocate, but Ottawa isn't taking her seriously.

Tonight on Hannaford, constitutional lawyer Allison Pejovic warns about Ottawa's quiet surrender to the World Health Organization.

Cory Morgan, Nigel Hannaford, and Dave Naylor are joined by Alise Mills to talk about the Smith government's push to develop pipelines to the West Coast, the imminent strike of Alberta teachers, to dig on the narrative shift on Truth and Reconciliation, and to examine whether new powers could let officials cut off your internet access.

Cory talks about how revisionist history is condemning the government for doing the right thing.

Safe space” rules are strangling free speech in universities, that should be bastions of open debate. Thus, constitutional lawyer Glenn Blackett, tonight's guest on this week's edition of Hannaford. It's an outrage that the courts won't deal with, that university administrations use as a convenient escape hatch from academic accountability, and that leaves to take action only the governments that created these ‘safe space' laws in the first place — ironically not to foster academic freedom, but to suppress workplace harassment.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan are joined by Alise Mills to break down the Liberal gun grab and its ties to Quebec politics, explore the chaos within the BC Conservative leadership, and cover the bizarre case of ostrich culling in British Columbia.

Cory talks about the directionless mess the Carney government has turned into.

Mark Carney's first budget, to be tabled Nov 4, will not be a happy document. In fact says economist Dr. Tim Sargent, Director of Domestic Policy at Ottawa's prestigious Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Canadians should brace for the worst. Speaking on tonight's Hannaford show, he foresees inflation as policy, shrinking purchasing power, and little in the way of protection for ordinary people.

Cory Morgan, Nigel Hannaford, and Dave Naylor are joined by Alise Mills to break down the reopening of Parliament, the backlash and grave dancing over Charlie Kirk's death, and the role of mainstream media in driving national polarization.

Cory talks about the creeping reach of big government into the housing market.

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, discusses Quebec's push for independence, the failures of federalism, and the financial myths around equalization while drawing comparisons with Alberta's own sovereignty movement in this exclusive interview with Western Standard's Derek Fildebrandt.

Western Standard's Derek Fildebrandt sits down with Jamil Jivani, Conservative MP for Bowmanville—Oshawa North, at the Canada Strong and Free Network Conference in Calgary to discuss the growing crisis facing young Canadian men, critique liberal policies, and and where conservatives should take it next.

Forget Oshawa and Oakville — Dan McTeague warns Canadians will be clinging to their last gas-powered cars while Chinese EVs flood the market under a Trudeau-Carney mandate.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan are joined by Alise Mills to discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk, its political fallout across North America, and what it reveals about the escalating tensions in public discourse.

Cory talks about the bleak outlook for Canada's economy due to Carney's net-zero plans.

As Parliament prepares to resume on September 15 after a three-month recess, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is sharpening his attack on Prime Minister Mark Carney over immigration levels, the cost of living, and ballooning deficits — issues he argues the Liberal government has mishandled since day one.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan are joined by Alise Mills to examine Alberta's battle to keep pornographic materials out of school libraries, discuss the dismissal of a volunteer coach over his personal views on trans ideology, and look at the growing dispute over race-based land use.

Cory talks about how the left has used the preservation of porn in children's libraries as a hill to die on in fighting against Danielle Smith.

Speaking on Hannaford tonight, constitutional and criminal lawyer Hatem Kheir says the answer is simple; unlike in the U.S., there is no right to self defence in Canada. You're on your own. Whether or not you face prosecution for defending your home is then a decision made by police, on the spot.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford and Cory Morgan discuss the cancellation of Ottawa Pride amid pro-Palestinian protests, the light sentencing for migrant offenders, and the apparent absence of Naheed Nenshi's NDP.

Cory talks about how mass immigration is crushing Canada.

How Mark Carney could fix Canada, in two sentences… “Give up the net-zero scams. Give up the ESG and DEI programs — they're luxury beliefs that don't mix with manufacturing.” Thus Andrew Hale, tonight's guest on The Hannaford Show. Hale is a senior trade-policy analyst at the Washington-based Heritage Foundation. And while he speaks for a conservatively inclined organization, plenty of Canadian Liberals would tell Carney the same thing.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford and Cory Morgan discuss why defending a home can be treated as a crime in Canada, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's return to the House of Commons, and new claims of mass graves making headlines in the mainstream media.

Cory talks about how the hoax of mass graves at residential schools is spreading while causing social and economic damage.

The Liberal government will face 'intense' U.S. pressure to push Bill C-2 — the Strong Borders Act — through Parliament, according to political strategist Yaroslav Baran, tonight's guest on Hannaford.

Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, and Cory Morgan talk about the federal government's migration issues, the controversy over Nova Scotia's wildfire activity ban on non-Indigenous residents, and the People's Party of Canada's apparent support for Alberta independence.

Cory talks about how new generations don't understand where communism leads.