Code Politics: Campaigns and Cultures on the Canadian Prairies

Politics on the Canadian prairies are puzzling. The provinces share common roots, but they have nurtured three distinct political cultures – Alberta is Canada’s bastion of conservatism, Saskatchewan its cradle of social democracy, and Manitoba its progressive centre. Jared Wesley explains this paradox by examining the rhetoric employed by dominant parties to renew their provinces’ political code – freedom for Alberta, security for Saskatchewan, and moderation for Manitoba. Although the content of their campaigns differed, leaders from William Aberhart to Tommy Douglas to Gary Doer have employed distinct codes to ensure their parties’ success and shape their provinces’ political landscapes.