Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has called a provincial election for March 3. It's the first time he'll lead his Progressive Conservatives to the polls since replacing Ralph Klein in late 2006.
"These are very exciting times for our province," Stelmach, 56, told a press conference Monday. "This is Alberta's moment. We have a very unique opportunity to secure our prosperity and our quality of life for decades to come.
"It's the beginning of Alberta's second century, and we're faced with the same opportunities, the same awesome potential, that drew settlers from many countries to Alberta over a hundred years ago, including my grandparents."
Alberta's prosperity has led to a shortage of health officials, rent in some areas has tripled, and police say there has been a steady rise in drug and fraud crime.
The main issues of the 28-day campaign are expected to be affordable housing in the province's booming economy, better infrastructure, and Stelmach's plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Stelmach called the election right after Tuesday's throne speech, in which his party promised to eliminate health care premiums in four years. The move would save the average family more than $1,000 each year.
"We live in a volatile time," said Stelmach. "It's a time that demands new ideas and new policies and new energy."
The Progressive Conservatives also want to delay any reduction in emissions for 12 years, and then to lower them to 14 per cent below 2005 levels by 2050. That's below guidelines set by the Kyoto Accord, the European Union and the federal Conservative party.
Recent polls have suggested the Progressive Conservatives lead in support. The party has governed the province for more than 36 years and held 60 of 83 seats before Monday's election call.
Stelmach's main challenger is Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft, whose party had 16 seats at dissolution.
Taft, author of a book about Alberta's infrastructure woes called "Shredding the Public Interest," became leader of the Liberal party in 2004.
He has promised to invest a third of Alberta's oil royalties on basic services, education, tax relief and the arts. Taft also wants to re-regulate electricity to lower the cost of energy for residents, and cap greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years.
Taft said Tuesday's throne speech lacked specific goals and makes for a poor campaign platform.
"I wouldn't want to be on the doorsteps with this throne speech as a platform," he said. "We have a much stronger platform."
He also said the proposal to eliminate health care premiums was "a Liberal idea."
Meanwhile, Stelmach faced some criticism for setting the election date for March 3 -- it's the third anniversary of the Mayerthorpe shootings, when four young officers were killed by James Roszko. It was the worst single-day loss of life for the RCMP in a century.
Stelmach promised the election would not take away from ceremonies honouring the slain Mounties.
With files from CTV Edmonton and The Canadian Press
