Since the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, the question of Quebec’s status within Confederation has held centre stage in the Canadian unity debate. Comparatively little has been written about British Columbia, a province that for so long has seen itself on the periphery of the Canadian federation. The Politics of Resentment is the first book to examine the role that British Columbia has played in the evolving Canadian unity debate. Resnick explores what makes B.C. stand apart as a region of Canada. He looks at the views of politicians, opinion-makers, and ordinary British Columbians on the challenges posed by Quebec nationalism, on their sense of estrangement from central Canada, and on what they see as the future of Canadian unity. He concludes with an examination of the likely B.C. response in the event of a “yes” vote in any future Quebec referendum on sovereignty.

Clearly written and provocative, The Politics of Resentment provides a new way of thinking about British Columbia’s place within the Canadian federation. It draws on a wide range of sources – from government documents and from the media, to the work of B.C. authors and commentators, to the academic literature on regionalism and nationalism – to capture what underlies the often fractured relationship between Canada’s westernmost province and the rest of the country.

"Resnick finds that there is a correlation between ill will toward Quebec and opposition to treaty-making, and resentment is an important feature of the mindset that imagines Quebeckers and aboriginal peoples enjoying “special” privileges." - the Georgia Straight

"For some quick answers (to what British Columbians really want, people) should pick up Philip Resnick’s new book, The Politics of Resentment: British Columbia Regionalism and Canadian Unity." - The Globe and Mail

"The Politics of Resentment analyzes B.C.’s contributions to unity debates, poetry, fiction, academic writings and hotline rantings to get at the question: What makes B.C. stand apart as a region of Canada?" - Vancouver Sun