The Strategists cover art

The Strategists

The Strategists

By: Stephen Carter Zain Velji Corey Hogan Shannon Phillips
Listen for free

Season's Savings | £0.99/mo for 3 months

£5.99/mo after 3 months - terms apply. Cancel monthly

Professional unprofessional strategists Stephen Carter, Zain Velji, and Shannon Phillips break down the news of the day. Not just what’s happening, but how it’s being played.


Policy is one thing. Politics is another.


The show dissects the strategy behind the headlines: what governments are doing, why it matters, and the political incentives driving every move. They don't tell you what to think. They make you harder to spin.


Originally hosted with Corey Hogan (now inside the machine), The Strategists now anchors a growing podcast network:


•⁠ ⁠The Strategists — weekly strategy, sharp takes, and questionable professionalism

•⁠ ⁠Ministry of Podcasts — Corey Hogan reports from inside Parliament

•⁠ ⁠Balance of Power — Annalise Klingbeil, Shannon Phillips, and Leah Ward bring a distinct lens to power and politics


Described as “shockingly insightful” and “sports talk radio for politics.”


Not sponsored by Flair Airlines.


Get bonus episodes and more at strategistspatreon.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

© 2015-2026 The Strategists Media Corporation
Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Episode 4059: Six Days, Ten Questions, No Good Answers (Live)
    Oct 18 2026

    Live from Edmonton, six days before Alberta’s referendum, Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips game out the final stretch of the campaign. With ten questions on the ballot and campaigns scrambling for every last vote, they break down what the final days could mean for Danielle Smith and Alberta’s future. Can Mark Carney tip the scales for No to the Nine? Will voters actually read the questions, or just vote no to the whole thing? And with six days left to save the country, is it too late to put Stephen Carter in charge of something less consequential?


    Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.


    Tickets for Calgary on October 27 are still available: https://strategistsliveshow.ca/


    Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.

    https://www.patreon.com/strategistspod


    You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.

    https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • Episode 4059: Did Carney Just Change Everything?
    Oct 15 2026

    Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips dive into an emergency episode after Prime Minister Mark Carney explicitly endorses “No to the Nine,” just days before Alberta's referendum. Will Carney's endorsement give the No to the Nine movement a final boost? With more than a million ballots already cast, has he arrived too late to make a difference? And has Mark Carney just made Stephen Carter the most insufferable man in Canadian politics?


    Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.


    Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.

    https://www.patreon.com/c/strategistspod


    You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.

    https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Episode 4058: Just Asking Questions
    Oct 12 2026

    Stephen Carter and Shannon Phillips break down the final week of Alberta’s referendum campaign, the conflicting polling on the nine questions, and whether persuasion or voter turnout will decide the outcome. Can the No to the Nine campaign overcome the wording of the questions themselves? Did Mark Carney and the federalists do enough to defend Canada, or does Shannon's referendum report card tell a different story? Plus, a Thanksgiving lightning round to determine which Canadian politicians have the most to be thankful for, and who deserves to be sent to the kids' table.


    Zain Velji, as always, picks the questions and keeps everybody in line.


    Read Shannon's full report card for forward weekly here: https://forwardweekly.ca/federalist-report-card

    and signup at https://forwardweekly.ca/ to get forward weekly delivered every Sunday to your inbox


    Join us live in Edmonton on October 13 at the Myer Horowitz Theatre. Tickets at https://strategistliveshow.ca


    Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and access to our exclusive Discord.

    https://www.patreon.com/strategistspod


    You can also watch our episodes on YouTube.

    https://www.youtube.com/@strategistspod

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet