The Discourse

Erika Barootes and Cheryl Oates are seasoned political insiders from opposite sides of the aisle — and they’re not afraid to disagree. The Discourse is your backstage pass to the biggest issues in Canadian politics, featuring sharp takes, real talk, and unexpected common ground. It’s proof that politics doesn’t have to be a shouting match — it can be a damn good conversation.
Episodes
Episodes



Thursday Nov 07, 2024
High Approval, Deep Divisions: What Danielle Smith's 91.5% means for Alberta
Thursday Nov 07, 2024
Thursday Nov 07, 2024
In this episode of The Discourse Podcast, Cheryl Oates and Erika Barootes talk about the US election and what it means for Canada, Premier Danielle Smith's leadership review, Naheed Nenshi's leadership strategy and the shifting tides in Saskatchewan’s political scene.



Thursday May 30, 2024
Danielle Smith: "I have no regrets"
Thursday May 30, 2024
Thursday May 30, 2024
Don’t miss a minute of this episode, as Danielle Smith holds nothing back: answering her critics, assessing her biggest wins, and plotting out her next three years as premier.Thank you for subscribing to our YouTube channel and telling your friends and family to do the same!
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.



Thursday May 23, 2024
Forget Pride: Erika Has No Shame!
Thursday May 23, 2024
Thursday May 23, 2024
Cheryl's still wrapping her mind around Erika's argument re: the UCP getting banned from Pride. Don't miss that exchange midway through this episode. But first, we take a look at renowned pollster Janet Brown's latest numbers. Stick around as Erika and Cheryl analyze the "new look" Alberta NDP.
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We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.



Thursday May 16, 2024
Another UCP Power Grab
Thursday May 16, 2024
Thursday May 16, 2024
The UCP introduces yet another contentious bill aimed at municipalities. Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse joins Erika and Cheryl post-leadership debate…or was it the “hugging town hall”?



Thursday May 09, 2024
The Walk-Back: Political Suicide or Good Governance?
Thursday May 09, 2024
Thursday May 09, 2024
What and how you approach a policy or legislative rollout that’s gone sideways can not only make you look stupid, it can have huge impacts on the voter confidence in your leadership. We discuss current BIll 20, the NDPs contentious Bill 6, and how capital gains increase will play out federally.
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.



Thursday May 02, 2024
Has Danielle Smith Gone Too Far?
Thursday May 02, 2024
Thursday May 02, 2024
Political parties will be players in Alberta's next municipal election for the very first time. The change, ushered in by the Danielle Smith government's Bill 20, is definitely controversial. But is it undemocratic? Has the UCP gone too far? We dig into what Bill 20 means for political parties...and what it means for you.
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.
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Thursday Apr 25, 2024
The Right (and Wrong) Way to Manage Natural Disasters
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
With the growing concerns of fires and drought across the province, Erika and Cheryl discuss what's causing this, what are the impacts, and what government's role is to protect Albertans from natural disasters. We also cover the NDP leadership as they lead up to their first debate.
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.



Thursday Apr 18, 2024
UNPRECEDENTED: Erika AGREES with Rachel Notley on Bill 18?!
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
The UCP government has introduced some pretty contentious policies recently. On this episode we explore the reason why Bill 17 and 18 are making their way onto the legislature agenda and what it means for many groups and individuals impacted by these Acts.
We're proud to partner and be members of Pocket Lobbyist, an online, membership-based platform to anticipate, interpret, and mitigate political risk.
Visit www.pocketlobbyist.com to learn more.