It may have been the worst kept secret in Alberta. Voters go to the polls March 3.
Nobody was surprised when Alberta premier Ed Stelmach called an election shortly after the Feb. 4 speech from the throne.
Stelmach is looking for the 11th majority Progressive Conservative government since the party swept to power 37 years ago. In 1971, voters chose the Progressive Conservatives over the Social Credit party after 36 years in government.
In the speech from the throne, Stelmach promised to eliminate health care premiums, which cost about $1,000 a year for families.
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Since 1905, only four parties have formed government in the province: Alberta Liberal Party, United Farmers of Alberta, Social Credit Party and Progressive Conservative party. No minority government has ever been elected in Alberta.
When the writ was dropped, the PCs held 60 of the 83 seats, the Liberals held 16, the NDP four and the Alberta Alliance one. There was also one independent MLA and one seat vacant.
The Alberta NDP didn’t wait for the premier to call the election. Leader Brian Mason kicked off his campaign earlier Feb. 4 with a pledge to look out for “regular families” who haven’t benefited from the province’s oil and gas boom.
“Our campaign will push for full value royalties, for green energy, for making life affordable for families, and for taking big money out of politics,” said Mason.
When Alberta Liberal leader Kevin Taft began his party’s campaign last week, he pledged to eliminate health care premiums and help Albertans with the rising costs associated with living in the hottest economy in the country. He said Alberta Liberals would also get serious about climate change.
“Albertans will have a choice on climate change policy,” he said.
Discontent over the rapid oilsands development and the royalty rates oil and gas companies pay for developing the provincial resource are expected to be a large part of the election campaign.
Recently Stelmach released a plan to reduce Alberta’s greenhouse gases 14 percent over the next 42 years. He said it’s a way of balancing economic growth and the environment.
This is Stelmach’s first campaign leading the party. He was elected last year when Ralph Klein retired as premier.
