Dark Phoenix - by Jeremy Appel (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Twice resurrected from political death, Danielle Smith now serves as the friendly face of MAGA-style populism in Canada as Alberta's premier.

From her short-lived tenure as a Calgary school board trustee to her decision to blow up the Wildrose Party and her most recent re-emergence as the conspiracy-minded, separatist-adjacent premier of Alberta, Smith has always demonstrated a penchant for following the prevailing winds within the global conservative movement.

With a little help from her friends in the mainstream media and corporate world, as well as her undeniable populist charisma and talents as a communicator, Smith successfully used pandemic anxieties and a uniquely Albertan style of grievance politics to mount her seemingly improbable comeback.

In Dark Phoenix, Jeremy Appel charts how Smith has risen from the ashes in alignment with dark, authoritarian forces, who are using the spectre of U.S.-aligned Alberta separatism to restructure the state as a corporate entity, with Smith as its CEO.

Review Quotes

Dark Phoenix is a powerful and highly engaging account that delves deeply into the intriguing story of Danielle Smith's alarming rise and consolidation of power. Jeremy Appel has done a first-rate job documenting how seamlessly and ruthlessly she has championed the interests of Big Oil, the far-right and provincial separatists, and how her street-smart political skills now pose an immense risk to Alberta -- and to Canada as a whole.-- "Linda McQuaig, author of Cancelling Billionaries Before They Cancel Us"

When encountering a politician like Danielle Smith, it's sometimes hard to truly grasp why they do the things that they do -- and, more importantly, how they keep getting away with it. In Dark Phoenix, Jeremy Appel demystifies these questions. Through gripping writing and immaculate research, he paints a clear picture of what drives Smith: naked opportunism. It's a chilling tale of a woman who appears to be motivated by nothing more than her own ascent — and it's only in understanding both her thinking and the tactics she uses to achieve her goals that we can truly push back. Dark Phoenix is an important read for any anyone seeking to understand Alberta politics and its unhinged premier. It's even more essential as a case study of a kind of politician that is all too common these days.-- "Rachel Gilmore, independent journalist and host of Bubble Pop"

About the Author

Jeremy Appel is an independent journalist covering Alberta politics and author of Kenneyism: Jason Kenney's Pursuit of Power. He writes The Orchard newsletter on Substack, and his work has appeared in the The New York Times, Toronto Star, Canada's National Observer, Jacobin, and The Tyee. He lives in Edmonton.