Podcast / The Time of Monsters / Jun 1, 2026

Why Big Oil Wants to Splinter Canada

Nora Loreto on the politics of Alberta separatism.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Why Big Oil Wants to Splinter Canada w/ Nora Loreto / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
byThe Nation Magazine

The issue of Canada’s national unity is heading towards the ballot box as Alberta is having a referendum on the issue of separatism. I spoke with Canadian journalist Nora Loreto about the background to this dispute, the backing the referendum is receiving from right-wing US political actors such as Steve Bannon and lobbyists connected to the oil industry. The discussion also takes up the role of Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is using the crisis to push a neoliberal agenda. For more commentary by Nora, you can go to the podcast Sandy and Nora Talk Politics, which is found here.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

An oil tanker is loaded at the Westridge Marine Terminal at the end point of the Trans Mountain Pipeline System in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

(James MacDonald / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The issue of Canada’s national unity is heading toward the ballot box as Alberta is having a referendum on the issue of separatism. I spoke with Canadian journalist Nora Loreta about the background to this dispute, the backing the referendum is receiving from right-wing US political actors such as Steve Bannon and lobbyists connected to the oil industry. The discussion also takes up the role of Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is using the crisis to push a neoliberal agenda. For more commentary by Nora, you can go to the podcast Nora and Sandy Talk Politics, which is found here.

Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/subscribe.

Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

Jeet Heer

Jeet Heer is a national affairs correspondent for The Nation and host of the weekly Nation podcast, The Time of Monsters. He also pens the monthly column “Morbid Symptoms.” The author of In Love with Art: Francoise Mouly’s Adventures in Comics with Art Spiegelman (2013) and Sweet Lechery: Reviews, Essays and Profiles (2014), Heer has written for numerous publications, including The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, The American Prospect, The Guardian, The New Republic, and The Boston Globe.

More from The Nation

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on September 15, 2026, in San Francisco, California.

DRC’s Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 11,000 Cases, Nvidia’s CEO Resigns Amid Spy Allegations, Paraguay Impeaches President Peña DRC’s Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 11,000 Cases, Nvidia’s CEO Resigns Amid Spy Allegations, Paraguay Impeaches President Peña

Danny and Derek unpack the week’s global news, from COP31 and escalating tensions with Iran to Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and political upheaval in Latin America.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

Rabbis for Palestine, an Orthodox Jewish human rights organization demonstrate in central London Al-Quds Day in 2021.

Jewish Anti-Zionism—With Benjamin Moser  Jewish Anti-Zionism—With Benjamin Moser 

Benjamin Moser joins Danny and Derek to explore the history of Jewish opposition to Zionism, the roots of Jewish nationalism, and debates over Zionism and antisemitism.

Podcast / American Prestige

El Salvador Deploys Troops to Haiti, UN Ends Western Sahara Mission, Israeli Opposition Moves to Oust Netanyahu

El Salvador Deploys Troops to Haiti, UN Ends Western Sahara Mission, Israeli Opposition Moves to Oust Netanyahu El Salvador Deploys Troops to Haiti, UN Ends Western Sahara Mission, Israeli Opposition Moves to Oust Netanyahu

Danny and Derek unpack the week’s global news, from Iran and Israel to tensions in East Africa, Ukraine peace talks, European protests, and developments in Venezuela and Haiti.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

Presidential candidate and incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil celebrates after the results of the general election day on October 25, 2026, in São Paulo, Brazil.

Lula Wins a Fourth Term, Serbian Students Defeat the Ruling Party, the US Prepares to Escalate the Iran War Lula Wins a Fourth Term, Serbian Students Defeat the Ruling Party, the US Prepares to Escalate the Iran War

Danny and Derek unpack the week’s global news, from elections in Israel and Brazil to political upheaval in Serbia, tensions with Iran, and the wars in Sudan and Ukraine.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

A plume of smoke rises during a reported air strike by the Saudi-led coalition on the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital Sanaa, on October 9, 2026.

US and Israel Plan Iran Strikes, Ansar Allah Hits Saudi Arabia, Mass Protests Sweep France US and Israel Plan Iran Strikes, Ansar Allah Hits Saudi Arabia, Mass Protests Sweep France

Neera Tanden has not yet posted a tirade about AP, and we’re starting to take it personally. In this week’s news: The US and Israel prepare for renewed strikes against Iran after t…

Podcast / American Prestige

Presidential candidate for the Brazilian Liberal Party Flavio Bolsonaro during a press conference with representatives that declared their support for the runoff election in Brasília, on October 7, 2026.

War Breaks in Tigray, Brazil Holds Elections, Houthi/Ansar Allah Attacks Hit a Saudi Airport War Breaks in Tigray, Brazil Holds Elections, Houthi/Ansar Allah Attacks Hit a Saudi Airport

Derek has returned, but he keeps trying to get Danny to go to some seminar led by a charismatic “mentor” he encountered in his travels.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

x