Join the Salt Spring Forum for this lively discussion and Q&A at ArtSpring.

Tickets available from the ArtSpring box office.

After winning a majority government in Alberta’s recent election, Premier Danielle Smith has shifted the province further to the right. Some of her decisions have global ramifications, including a seven-month suspension of all new renewable energy projects—at a time when Alberta was poised to become a world leader in solar and wind power.

As wildfires rage around the world, Smith continues to affirm her support for the “energy sector” – by which she means oil and gas.

Then, there are the premier’s other views—many of which seem come straight from Fox News. Last but not least, Smith seeks much greater autonomy for her province within Confederation, including through her Alberta Sovereignty Act.

What is going on in Alberta? How is the province changing, and what does this mean for the rest of us?

Professor Lisa Young is perhaps the best person in Canada to shed light on these developments. A distinguished scholar and prolific public commentator, she is Professor of Political Science and former Dean and Vice-Provost of Graduate Studies at the University of Calgary.