![]() ![]() Western Canada is only one example of Canadian regional conflict, as anyone familiar with Quebec or Atlantic Canadian politics knows. Its persistence, I believe, speaks to its structural roots within the Canadian federation.Īlthough a study of western alienation can stand on its own merit given the importance of western Canada in the national economy and society, I focus on it because I believe that understanding the issue sheds important light on conflict and unity in Canada overall. I have watched it withstand economic booms, recessions, and a global pandemic. I have seen its political expression tied to aspirations to strengthen Canada (“the west wants in”) and to tear Canada apart (“wexit”). Over that time, I have observed it rise, fall, and rise again. ![]() I have been studying and writing about a particular dimension of Canada’s regional conflict - western alienation - for over two decades. At worst, it impairs governance and weakens Canada’s sense of common national purpose and aspiration in an increasingly competitive global environment. At best, regional conflict exists as a dormant undercurrent to most forms of political debate. At the same time, it has since its start struggled with seemingly intractable regional conflict. It sits high on many “world’s best” lists, and Canadians enjoy wide-ranging personal freedoms, a high quality of life, economic prosperity, and the sheer physical beauty of a diverse landscape. ![]()
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