Could you tell me a bit about the structure and organization of the Alberta independence movement? How does it compare to other movements such as Quebec sovereignty and the Brexit movement?

Yeah, well, thank you for having me.

It's great to see a full room.

I've been thinking about the independence movement since about the beginning of May last year, following it grow from a relatively small group of people to something that's now dominating our public conversation.

And as far as social movements go, the Alberta Independence Movement has a fairly typical structure.

There's a constellation of actors with varying levels of activity and some collaboration, but it's largely defined by the absence of a clear and disciplined organization, at least from my perspective as somebody who studies political parties, which are much more disciplined and organized than social movements.

And so to illustrate, the movement includes several provincial political parties that include the Independence Party of Alberta, the Wild Rose Independence Party of Alberta, the Wild Rose Loyalty Coalition, and the Republican Party of Alberta.

And maybe what are actually the most analogous movements elsewhere in the world?