Through a comparative analysis of Quebec and British Columbia, this paper will address the extent to which the Advocacy Coaliton Framework (ACF) can help shed light on patterns of mobilization for and against the issue of hydraulic fracturing in Canada. While British Columbia has been permissive of hydraulic fracturing, resulting in the drilling of several thousands of shale gas wells, Quebec has been restrictive, effectively putting in place a moratorium on the drilling of such wells. Are these differences the result of distinct perceptions of the risks involved in Hydraulic Fracturing by the actors involved in policy-making debates in the two provinces or more fundamentally the result of differences in their political values? The comparison will draw from actor surveys and a content analysis of the main print media of the two provinces.
