The "People's Chamber"? Populism and Social Movement Politics in Alberta's Sovereignty Debate.

This article focuses on the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act (ASA), passed in 2022 by the United Conservative Party (UCP) government under Premier Danielle Smith, which authorizes Alberta's legislature to direct institutions to defy federal laws deemed unconstitutional or harmful. It examines how right-wing populist social movements—specifically the Free Alberta Strategy, Take Back Alberta, and the Alberta Prosperity Project—anchored the UCP's adoption of the ASA by providing political opportunities, mobilizing structures, and framing strategies centered on themes of freedom, prosperity, and sovereignty. The analysis reveals that these movements influenced the UCP's populist constitutionalism, challenging the narrative of Canadian exceptionalism by showing that Canadian democratic institutions are vulnerable to populist pressures similar to those reshaping politics globally, albeit shaped by distinct regional political cultures. The article underscores the importance of social movement–party linkages in understanding the erosion of constitutional checks and balances in Alberta's political landscape.