Special Lecture Series
Western Alienation and Alberta Sovereignty: Myth, Power, and Political Reality
Join us for a timely and thought-provoking two-part lecture series examining Alberta’s separatist history, contemporary sovereignty debates, and the future of democracy in the province.
Fee for series: $25 for members or $36 for non-members
From its origins as a federally administered settler colony with limited Indigenous control, Alberta has experienced recurring waves of political tension with Ottawa. Early colonial settlers voiced resentment toward federal policies they believed favored “Eastern interests.”
During oil booms and busts, petroleum interests—often dominant within Alberta’s major political parties—leveraged Western alienation to intensify conflict with the federal government, at times echoing separatist rhetoric.
This lecture explores:
The historical roots of Alberta separatism
The role of oil politics in shaping provincial identity
The myths and realities behind Western alienation
What the future may hold for separatist movements