As the Calgary Herald’s premier political columnist, Braid offers unmatched analysis of Western Canada’s evolving relationship with federal governance. His four-decade career has established him as:
Recent recognition includes multiple National Newspaper Award nominations and Alberta Legislative Press Gallery honors for his legislative reporting. His March 2025 analysis of Prime Minister Carney’s early leadership challenges [Article 1] demonstrates his continued relevance in shaping national policy debates.
We’ve followed Don Braid’s work for decades as he’s become one of Canada’s most authoritative voices on politics, energy, and the interplay between provincial and federal governance. His incisive analysis for the Calgary Herald has shaped public discourse on critical issues, from Alberta’s oil sands to national unity challenges.
Braid’s career began in the trenches of local journalism, where he honed his ability to distill complex policy debates into accessible narratives. Over time, his focus sharpened on:
This March 2025 op-ed dissects Prime Minister Mark Carney’s early leadership challenges amid renewed U.S. trade pressures. Braid critiques the Liberal government’s tendency to prioritize Eastern Canadian interests while proposing concrete policy shifts to strengthen national unity. His analysis of equalization formula reforms and carbon tax adjustments demonstrates his deep understanding of interprovincial economics.
“Carney could pledge to completely rebuild climate policy with far more tolerance for provincial needs... Provinces could co-ordinate their policies by region, respecting the goal as well as their own needs.”
In this April 2025 investigation, Braid exposes bureaucratic overreach at Alberta Health Services through the lens of pediatric cancer care. The piece combines human-interest storytelling with hard-hitting accountability journalism, revealing how administrative decisions directly impacted vulnerable patients. His follow-up reporting forced AHS leadership to publicly defend their policies.
This political analysis piece dissects Premier Danielle Smith’s strategic victories within her United Conservative Party while warning of long-term electoral consequences. Braid demonstrates his insider knowledge of Alberta’s political machinery, predicting how far-right alliances could alienate moderate voters.
Braid prioritizes stories that reveal how national policies manifest in Alberta communities. A successful pitch might examine the local impact of federal energy regulations through interviews with small-to-midsize oilfield service companies. His recent critique of Health Canada’s hospital food restrictions [ARTICLE 2] shows his interest in policy’s human dimensions.
While critical of blanket environmental regulations, Braid welcomes pitches about measurable emissions reduction initiatives within energy companies. Focus on technologies with proven ROI that don’t require government subsidies. His coverage of carbon capture projects in the oil sands demonstrates this interest.
Braid seeks underreported angles on equalization payments and resource revenue sharing. Pitch data-driven analyses of how specific fiscal policies affect Alberta’s municipal budgets, using FOIA-obtained documents or leaked internal memos to add exclusivity.
Stories exposing bureaucratic inefficiencies in Alberta’s healthcare system resonate strongly. Target specific AHS departments with verifiable examples of funds mismanagement or patient care prioritization failures, similar to his popsicle policy exposé [ARTICLE 2].
Braid maintains unparalleled access to conservative political operatives. Pitch profiles of rising UCP strategists or analyses of voter sentiment shifts in rural Alberta communities, complemented by exclusive polling data.
While Braid’s understated approach avoids self-promotion, his work has been recognized through:
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Politics, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
