No love for the 403 (or the 780)

Albertans are frustrated at the lack of attention given to their province by the major parties so far in this federal election campaign.

With apologies to those in Alberta who actually know me, this page finds himself bemused by the ignorance and arrogance of many of the voters surrounding you. As much as Quebec has a reputation for being the prodigal/spoiled child of Confederation, Alberta is starting to come on like the two-year old being dragged out of 'Toys R Us'. Sorry, but decisions at the federal level (including all the stupid ones) are made according to this country's democratic traditions, not the price of West Texas Crude.

What exactly do these people want? They have their windfall oil & gas revenues, sprawling suburbs and new money gridlock, labour laws that could make Alabama look like Sweden, human rights that exist at the whim of the likes of Focus on the Family, and a Premier who fiddles while Medicare burns. In American politico-speak, Alberta is as close to a 'Red' State that Canada has to offer.

This page, despite having been born and raised in Alberta, now finds himself way more at home in Seattle or Portland than he does in Calgary or Edmonton. Under the Progressive Conservatism of Peter Lougheed, Albertans benefited from things like the Heritage Trust Fund and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Under Ralph Klein, Albertans drifted into intertia and intolerance because of a lack of vision beyond privatization and keeping big oil happy.

At least 26 out of 28 Alberta seats will go to Stephen Harper's Conservatives. That's right, 28 seats: less than Ontario, Quebec or British Columbia: what part of representation by population don't these Albertans understand? And exactly what incentive does marching in perpetual right-wing lockstep give any of the leaders (including Harper) to jump on the next charter to Red Deer and press the flesh?

This page may find answers to these, and other questions next week, like if anyone will say anything if I check into my Calgary hotel under the name 'Jack Layton'.