Vassy Kapelos

Early Life and Education

Vassy Kapelos was born on May 6, 1981 and pursued her post-secondary education at two Canadian universities. She first attended the University of Western Ontario, graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Kapelos then continued her studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax, where she earned a Master of Arts degree in 2006. Her academic background provided a foundation for her future career in journalism and political analysis, and she has publicly shared that her ethnic background is of Mainland Greek and German origin.

Early Career and Breakthrough Reporting in Alberta

Kapelos began her journalism career reporting in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, gaining foundational experience in local news before moving to Global Television Network stations in Saskatoon and Edmonton. In Edmonton, she served as the station's provincial political affairs reporter, covering the Alberta legislature and government, which led to her first major investigative work. In 2013, her reporting revealed the large severance package paid to Premier Alison Redford's outgoing chief of staff, creating considerable public controversy. This revelation ultimately pressured Redford to introduce a new sunshine list for public sector employee compensation, a direct result of Kapelos's work that demonstrated the impact of her journalism.

Also in 2013, Kapelos was a key member of the reporting team for the investigative series "Code Red," which examined systemic issues within Alberta's ambulance industry. The reporting featured revealing interviews with paramedics and other industry insiders who detailed critical resource shortages affecting emergency response. Kapelos conducted an in-studio interview with Alberta's then-Minister of Health, Fred Horne, to confront the government directly on the findings documented by her team. The series exposed an under-resourced system that was endangering the safety of Alberta residents, demonstrating her ability to handle complex public policy stories with significant social impact and establish her reputation for diligent reporting.

Rise in Ottawa: Bureau Chief and Host of The West Block

Kapelos transferred to Global News's Ottawa bureau in 2013, moving her focus entirely to federal politics and national affairs, where her expertise and leadership were quickly recognized. She was promoted to Ottawa bureau chief for Global News in 2016, overseeing the network's parliamentary coverage and managing its team of reporters on the Hill. The following year, in 2017, she took on the additional high-profile role as host of the network's Sunday morning political affairs program, The West Block, succeeding veteran journalist Tom Clark who retired. Hosting The West Block involved interviewing senior politicians and analysts to provide weekly insight into Parliament and national issues, requiring a comprehensive grasp of federal policy debates. Her time at Global, which included nearly a decade of experience covering politics from both provincial and federal perspectives, established her as a capable and authoritative voice in Canadian political television.

Host of CBC's Power & Politics (2018 to 2022)

In a notable career move in February 2018, Vassy Kapelos left Global News to join CBC News Network as the new host of its flagship daily political program, Power & Politics. She took over the chair from previous host Rosemary Barton, who moved to a chief political correspondent role within the CBC, marking an internal shift for the public broadcaster. Kapelos hosted the show from the CBC's Parliament Hill bureau, delivering live analysis and interviews throughout the political day, five days a week, for a national audience. During this time, she was known for her prepared and persistent questioning of political leaders from all major parties, which expanded her national profile and solidified her status as a central figure in Canadian political media over four years.

Move to CTV News and Current Roles

On November 8, 2022, CTV News announced that Vassy Kapelos would be joining its network in a major hiring move, appointed to the position of chief political correspondent. In this capacity, she became the host of two of the network's central political programs: the daily Power Play and the Sunday morning show Question Period, replacing Evan Solomon who departed for the online outlet Gzero. This move represented a significant realignment of on-air talent among Canada's major broadcast news divisions, bringing a seasoned host to CTV's political lineup. Kapelos also expanded her media presence by launching The Vassy Kapelos Show, a podcast distributed through the iHeartRadio platform, allowing for longer-form political conversations beyond the constraints of television news segments.

Vassy Kapelos is the chief political correspondent for CTV News. She hosts the daily political program Power Play. She also hosts the Sunday affairs show Question Period. She hosts The Vassy Kapelos Show on iHeartRadio. She moved to CTV News in November 2022 to take on these roles.

Reporting Style and Professional Impact

Throughout her career, Vassy Kapelos has developed a reputation for thorough preparation and a direct, substantive interviewing technique that focuses on policy details and political accountability. She is known for asking pointed questions that hold political figures accountable without resorting to theatrics, a style evident in her interviews with every major federal party leader over more than a decade. Her breakthrough story on the Alberta severance package demonstrated her skill in investigative journalism that has tangible political consequences, directly influencing government transparency policy. The "Code Red" series further highlighted her ability to synthesize complex systemic issues into compelling television journalism that drives public debate on health care and emergency services, requiring deep and continuously updated understanding of policy and political strategy.

Career Timeline and Major Milestones

Vassy Kapelos first began reporting in Swift Current. She worked for Global Television Network stations in Saskatoon and Edmonton, serving as a provincial political affairs reporter. Her investigative work in Alberta included breaking a story about a severance package for a premier's chief of staff and reporting on the ambulance industry. She later transferred to the Ottawa bureau for Global News, becoming bureau chief and host of The West Block.

She left Global to join CBC News Network as the host of Power and Politics from 2018 to 2022. In November 2022, she moved to CTV News to become its chief political correspondent. At CTV, she hosts the programs Power Play and Question Period. She replaced Evan Solomon in this role.

Questions about Vassy Kapelos

Where did Vassy Kapelos go to university?

Vassy Kapelos earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario, graduating in 2004. She then pursued a Master of Arts degree at Dalhousie University in Halifax, completing it in 2006. Her academic training provided a strong foundation for her career in political journalism. These educational institutions are both well-respected public universities in Canada.

What show did Vassy Kapelos host on CBC?

Vassy Kapelos was the host of Power & Politics on CBC News Network. She took over the hosting chair in February 2018 and held the position until 2022. The show is a daily flagship political affairs program broadcast from Parliament Hill. Her role involved interviewing politicians and analysts to dissect the day's political developments.

What is Vassy Kapelos doing now?

As of November 2022, Vassy Kapelos is the chief political correspondent for CTV News. In this role, she hosts two television programs: the daily Power Play and the Sunday morning show Question Period. She also hosts a podcast called The Vassy Kapelos Show on the iHeartRadio platform. She moved to CTV from CBC, replacing Evan Solomon.

What was Vassy Kapelos's major investigative story in Alberta?

A major early story broken by Kapelos was the revelation of a large severance package paid to Alberta Premier Alison Redford's outgoing chief of staff in 2013. This reporting created significant controversy and led to political pressure on the premier. Subsequently, Premier Redford was forced to introduce a new sunshine list for public employee compensation. This story established Kapelos as a journalist capable of driving political accountability.

Did Vassy Kapelos work for Global News?

Yes, Vassy Kapelos had a long career with Global News before joining CBC. She worked for Global stations in Saskatoon and Edmonton, later becoming the Edmonton station's provincial political affairs reporter. She transferred to the Ottawa bureau in 2013, was promoted to bureau chief in 2016, and became host of The West Block in 2017. She left Global for CBC in February 2018.

What happened to the host of Power & Politics before Vassy Kapelos?

Before Vassy Kapelos, Power & Politics was hosted by Rosemary Barton. When Kapelos was hired to host the show in February 2018, Barton moved into the role of chief political correspondent for CBC News. This was an internal shift within the CBC's political team. Kapelos then hosted the program for four years before her own move to CTV News in late 2022.

Sources and further reading

• Vassy Kapelos (Wikipedia)
• The Vassy Kapelos Show (iheart.com)
• Vassy Kapelos (departureto.com)
• The Vassy Kapelos Show, Podcast (podcasts.apple.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.