Only in Alberta would an election win of 63 out of 83 seats not be called a landslide.
While the Progressive Conservative juggernaut rolled relentlessly through ridings in every corner of the province, it stalled at the boundaries of Liberal-held Edmonton. Still, the Alberta election on March 11 was a thumbs up for the premier everyone calls Ralph.
Premier Ralph Klein’s Conservatives won handily in all rural ridings and some analysts said voters were casting a ballot for the popular premier rather than local candidates.
In Edmonton, the Liberals held 15 seats, the New Democrats captured two positions out of the 19 ridings and the Tories won two new seats. The other three Liberal seats are in Calgary, Lethbridge and Spruce Grove, which is just west of Edmonton.
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Klein cited strong Liberal incumbents as a reason his Progressive Conservatives failed to do better in Edmonton. He also conceded the city is home to a number of government workers who were either laid off or had their salaries cut to help trim the government deficit.
Klein, 54, represents Calgary Elbow and has never lost an election.
He entered politics in 1980 when he ran for mayor of Calgary against better funded and more experienced politicians. A broadcast journalist, few took him seriously when he said he was going to run. He entered provincial politics in 1989 and became environment minister under premier Don Getty. He was named Tory leader in 1992.
Klein headed into the election making no promises. Instead he talked about how the government balanced its books and started paying down its multi-billion dollar debt.
At a news conference March 12, he said the government took a lot of heat for the program of slashing every department by 20-40 percent, but winning a second term in office indicates to him it is on track.
“We have proved them all wrong. You can do the right thing and take the risk of political consequences and still remain on top,” he said of his victory.
Those consequences included public service layoffs, spending cuts, user fees, hospital closures and dissolving school and health boards.
Continue on same path
With this election giving the government a renewed mandate into the next century, Klein said it’s business as usual. The government promises no more spending in a “brainless way.”
As the debt decreases, Klein said there will be extra money for health care, education and social services but he wouldn’t say how much more.
“We are not just going to throw money at situations. When we invest we want to be sure we do it the right way,” he told reporters.
Klein said he expects to name cabinet members and committee chairs by the end of March.
There will be new faces in the legislature in April since the election returned three parties including the New Democrats after a four-year hiatus.
ND leader Pam Barrett won Edmonton Highlands and along with Raj Pannu of Edmonton-Strathcona, placed two left wing voices in the legislature. Known for her feisty personality and small stature, Barrett challenged Klein on election night.
“It’s time to blink, Ralph. Mighty Mouse is back,” she said in reference to Klein’s refusal to back down on spending cuts to social programs.
Liberal leader Grant Mitchell was publicly upbeat after the election.
While his party lost a third of its 29 seats, dropping to 18, Mitchell told reporters he feels positive about the outcome and pointed out the most recent Angus-Reid poll forecast decimation for the Liberals.
The party will likely have a leadership review later this spring as is its policy after an election when the leader does not become premier.
The election also brought a surprise comeback for the Social Credit party.
Leader Randy Thorsteinson of Red Deer-South lost to incumbent Tory Victor Doerken but he and other Socreds made strong showings, particularly in rural central Alberta where they placed second in seven constituencies.
