On The Line: Where is Nenshi?

In the latest episode of On The Line, Jen Gerson is joined by Dave Cournoyer — Alberta politics watcher, writer at daveberta.ca, and longtime chronicler of this province’s wilder turns — for a conversation that cuts through the noise and gets to the big question: what is actually going on in Alberta right now?This episode is brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. It's the Abitibi River, Northern Ontario, 1854. They called it “the Long Portage.”From the banks of the Abitibi River, Métis voyageurs hauled heavy freight canoes and Hudson’s Bay Company trade goods across miles of forest and muskeg. Their hard work linked Fort Albany and Moose Factory along the James Bay coast with Lake Timiskaming. And, from there, the entire northwest.As the HBC moved inland from Moose Factory to open and work at posts to the south and west, the Métis “Factory Boys” and their families cut the trail, built the storehouse, and ran the trade. They were guides, interpreters, diplomats, and entrepreneurs.And they endured. The Métis remained in northern Ontario and in the story of how this country was built. Because Canada is not Canada without the Métis. Today, Métis rights are a settled fact of law in Ontario.This Indigenous Peoples Month, visit OntarioMétisFacts.com to learn more.The conversation opens with a serious look at the growing undercurrent of separatist sentiment inside the United Conservative Party. They unpack the emotional pull of independence, the logistical realities of separation, and why this movement — once fringe — is now creeping toward the mainstream. They also explore the federal government’s role in fuelling some of this rage, and how Alberta’s energy economy keeps acting as both asset and anchor.And then, the inevitable question that must be asked in any progressive conversation in this province: where the hell is Naheed Nenshi? Jen presses Dave on why the Alberta NDP is missing in action while the UCP is rolling out wildly controversial ideas. The moment is ripe. The opportunity is obvious. And yet... nothing.As always, like and subscribe at ReadTheLine.ca. You can also follow us on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. Share it with a friend, post about it online, or shout it across the parking lot outside the nearest community centre in Calgary. We’ll take it.And don’t forget: On The Line drops Tuesday mornings on audio, with the video version rolling out Tuesday evening on YouTube and across our social channels. Prefer to watch? Stay tuned tonight — and follow us to catch the drop.Thanks for listening. We’ll see you next week.Spotify:Apple:And plenty more options here.We hope you enjoy this episode, and don’t miss us next week. We’ll be back with more On The Line.The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded — no federal subsidy for us! If you value our work, have already subscribed, and still worry about what will happen when the conventional media finishes collapsing, please make a donation today.The Line is Canada’s last, best hope for irreverent commentary. We reject bullshit. We love lively writing. Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Please follow us on social media! Facebook x 2: On The Line Podcast here, and The Line Podcast here. Instagram. Also: TikTok. BlueSky. LinkedIn. Matt’s Twitter. The Line’s Twitter.Jen’s Twitter. Contact us by email: [email protected]. Get full access to The Line at www.readtheline.ca/subscribe