Pivot Points
A weekly current issues and news panel centred in Alberta's capital city, hosted by CJSR.
Immigrants & Alberta referendum / Local data centres / Food security
A conversation with the Managing Editor for the Gateway, Evan Cruickshank and the Regional Coordinator for International Migrants Alliance, Dean Lumague, centred on the Alberta referendum, data centres proposed for inside Edmonton and more.
Reckoning with two levels of healthcare
A conversation with Friends of Medicare Executive Director Chris Gallaway and Parkland Institute‘s Research Manager Rebecca Graff-McRae centring on Bill 11 and Alberta’s shift towards a two-tier healthcare system.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
PANELISTS
Chris Gallaway
A community organizer and advocate. He is the Executive Director of Friends of Medicare, a non-profit working to protect and strengthen healthcare in Alberta and across Canada. Chris has been sounding the alarm on this issue for months.
Rebecca Graff-McRae
A researcher and writer. She is the Research Manager for the Parkland Inst...
Reconciliation, extraction & Alberta separatism
A conversation with Dani Paradis centring around media, extractive journalism, Reconciliation and her new podcast, Separation Anxiety, with Tim Querengesser.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
Guest
Dani Paradis
A journalist and educator. Her byline appears in the Walrus, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, APTN and more. A proud member of Alberta Métis Nation, she teaches journalism at MacEwan University.
Additional voices who’ve been on the show previously:
Samira Mohyeddin (Episode 5) Katy Ingraham (Episode 9)Matthew Wildcat (Episode 2)Jeremy Appel (Episode 1 and Episode 8)Public spaces & punishing the poor
A conversation with Katy Ingraham centering on the Edmonton Public Spaces Bylaw which is up for review by City Council, along with insights from lawyer Chris Wiebe on new data on transit fines and transit bans.
Safety vs. discomfort: Antisemitism & public accountability
A conversation with Jeremy Appel about a recent campus report on antisemitism, the Edmonton Police Commission cancelling in-person meetings and more.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
Jeremy Appel
A journalist and author. He regularly publishes The Orchard and his byline appears in places like the National Observer, the Tyee and more. Dark Phoenix, published by Dundurn Press, is his next book.
ALSO HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:
Maksen Hocine
A political science student and organizer. He studies at the University of Alberta and organizes with their Students for Justice in Palestine...
State of the Unions: Edmonton & Beyond
A conversation with Alyson Winkelaar, Anna Vesala and Cole Rockarts on labour and unions' impact on employments rates, affordability, health and safety.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
PANELISTS
Alyson Winkelaar
A parent and long-time union organizer. Alyson is Chief Shop Steward at Civic Service Union 52 (CSU52). She balances this work with her “day job” as well as other roles. She’s been active in the union since 2014.
Anna Vesala
A city employee and cat person. Anna is 2nd Vice President at CSU 52. She was elected in 2024.
Cole Rockarts...
Local universities suppressing their students
A conversation with Euan Thomson and David Slater about their reporting for The Breach on Edmonton and Alberta’s role in a secret network across post-secondary institutions suppressing students. We also hear from students and alumni who were targeted for their on-going advocacy about the war on Gaza and support for Palestinian lives.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
PANELISTS
Abraar Al Silwaadi
A writer and artist. Abraar is originally from the West Bank. She co-founded Palestinian Student Alliance (PSA) at MacEwan University.
Chris Morrow
An Edmonton-based activist as well as DJ...
Policing from there to here
A conversation with former cop Dan Jones, advocate Kelsey Lyseng and long-time journalist Samira Mohyeddin hinging on surveillance, militarism and "justice" overseas creeping into Canadian cities and onto campuses.
Belonging in Alberta
A discussion with Shiza Wasi, Henry Sir and Sarah Hoyles hinging on what it means to be Albertan, the current state of governments and special interests.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
PANELISTS
Henry Sir
A comedian and writer. He’s been posting videos about politics and government - based on both sides of the 49th parallel.
Shiza Wasi
An organizer and convenor. She works with both YEG Muslim Vote to increase civic literacy and Public Interest Albertato make policy more accessible.
Sarah Hoyles
Long-time journalist and CJSR’s stat...
The language of data centres and Alberta’s referendum
A conversation with Gabrielle Barber and Kayla Piccinin hinging on public literacy on data centres and the Alberta referendum questions. We also go to Sturgeon County to hear from Albertans concerned about the proposed data centre there.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
PANELISTS
Gabrielle Barber
An anthropologist and soon-to-be graduate student. She’s been making educational videos about the Alberta referendum. Calgary-based.
Kayla Piccinin
An advocate and parent. Part of the Olds Transparency Project, she credits a proposed mega data centre next to her home for raising all sorts of...
Do Land Back and separatism pivot the same?
A conversation with Matthew Wildcat, Leah Hennig and Tim Shoults orbiting around Alberta Separatists, First Nations rights, media responsibility + more.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
PANELISTS
Leah Hennig - A journalist and Editor-in-Chief of The Gateway. This is her second year at the helm of the newspaper as E-in-C.
Tim Shoults - The publisher of the St. Albert’s Gazette and vice-president for Great West Media’s northern division.
Matthew Wildcat - A member of the Ermineskin Cree Nation, he is a professor at the faculty of Native Studies at the U...
How do we pivot together?
A conversation with Haruun Ali, Jeremy Appel and Karen Unland hinging on Edmonton Police Service, climate responsibilities, the city budget, our news diet + more.
Hosted by Asad Chishti
Haruun Ali
An advocate and organizer. He resides on Treaty 6 and has spent years working on issues affecting Edmonton-at-large, his family, and himself personally.
Jeremy Appel
A journalist and author. He’s written several books and regularly published The Orchard digital newsletter. Appel’s work is in the New York Times, the Toronto Star, National Observer, Tyee, Alberta Views, and more.
Karen...
