[Thunderball]

I respectfully disagree with Cheese on this one and agree with Ford Prefect.

Yes, people are migrating, and they bring their ideas with them, but that doesn't mean their ideas stick with them. Sometimes coming into a new environment changes one's opinions. Its been happening since Alberta was an idea on a map to split up the Northwest Territory. Alberta has always had a fierce libertarian, independant, conservative streak... and it always will. The difference is that society is becoming increasingly urban and the PRIORITIES are changing, not the mentality. Yes, Alberta is slowly growing out of its powerful (but never widespread) religious morality police, but that doesn't mean the values of the right of centre voter are less prevalent.

The current progressive conservative party holds priorities of a rural minded province. This is growing unpopular, and liberals didn't win seats in Calgary because left of centre policy became popular... it was done for two reasons... one, a protest that the city is displeased and two, the Liberal platform is more urban friendly, even if the ideology is wrong to the majority. Its not that young professionals (for example) aren't inherently fiscally conservative... its that the current right of centre parties speak for angry farmers and concerned bible thumpers more than it does to the businessmen, professionals and urban dwellers (be it white or blue collar).

What the province needs is a progressive conservative party with urban priorities and sensibilities. It doesn't mean fiscal liberalism is growing popular as it has in other parts of the country where these people moved from. In fact, most people come to Alberta because the economy is good, and pre-Stelmach, prided itself on being business friendly.

Also, to Slava... Alberta has always had a "rule of two" electoral mentality. Win two of Calgary, Edmonton or the rural/small centres and you win a majority. What this hypothetical party would do is strive to do what most parties in the past couldn't. Advocate to Calgary and Edmonton primarily, Ft. Mac, Lethbridge, Red Deer, etc. second, and the towns and farmers last. Most strategists in Alberta believed you couldn't dominate Calgary and Edmonton because of the inherent rivalry, so they appealed to the rural vote to swing them in. I propose that the time has come that Calgary and Edmonton are both sufficiently motivated to vote the rural agenda out and would support the same centrist/right of centre urban minded party.