The book, written for a general audience, draws on numerous sources for a wide-ranging and unprecedented look at the effects of Canada's petroleum industry on democratic institutions such as the civil service, political parties and academia. His analysis uses theories of democracy and regulatory capture to advance a theory of the "deep state," arguing that the petroleum industry in Canada has captured so many democratic institutions that it has blocked the capacities of the governments of Alberta and Canada to effectively address global warming. He has toured and spoken extensively in support of his book.