About this episode

The episode discusses summer politics and the legacy of Jeff Sloychuk while exploring the intersection of labour, influencers, and media in political campaigns.

What should politicians actually be doing while everyone else is trying to enjoy August? This week on Balance of Power , Annalise Klingbeil, Leah Ward and Shannon Phillips remember Jeff Sloychuk, a longtime labour and NDP organizer whose politics were rooted in working-class people, practical action and getting the job done. First: summer politics. Is August a time to rest, work the barbecue circuit or quietly prepare for the fights coming in the fall? The panel looks at how Pierre Poilievre used summer advertising to reshape his image, what Danielle Smith’s small private fundraisers are really communicating, and why political campaigns should never assume voters have stopped paying attention. Then: labour, influencers and the changing media ecosystem. After CUPE partnered with Alberta content creators to explain the WestJet labour dispute, the panel digs into why audiences, not advertisements, have become the real political asset, and how shifting public attitudes toward unions are changing who gets heard. Plus, for Patreon subscribers: Leah shares lessons from the federal NDP’s experiment with political influencers, the panel debates whether campaign buses and traditional media…

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