We have recognized that issues do not end at the border of a constituency. While policies or decisions may be specific to a community, the results often affect most Albertans.

We believe that one of those issues is the proposed Grassy Mountain Coal Project.

Recent years have seen a swath of political leaders, notably on the right, espousing populist claims to represent the people. Donald Trump is an obvious example, but there are others such as Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro. Alberta’s own Jason Kenney likewise makes use of populist appeals. But what is populism? Why does it arise at some historical times and not others? Why does populism attract so many people? What is its promise, its perils, and its future?