Alberta is an economic powerhouse but a misunderstood and overlooked political force. The Dawn of Competitive Party Politics in Alberta examines the province’s distinctive history and party politics, reaching back to before the birth of the province and then focusing on its political evolution over the past two decades.
Spurred by populism and alienation, Albertans united behind a centre-right provincial party for much of the twentieth century, while excluding themselves from Liberal-dominated federal politics. In 2006, this dynamic began to shift as the provincial right faltered, fractured, and then re-formed, while the left gained and then lost power but remained united in opposition. The historic pattern of a dynastic conservative bloc surrounded by minor parties was interrupted.
The authors convincingly argue that the recent turmoil may signal the imminent arrival of real competition in both provincial and federal politics, ending Alberta’s solitude and shaping the future of Canada.
