Thump!

The writ has been dropped in Alberta. On March 3, we go to the polls to elect a new government in this province.

For the first time in my adult life, I see an electoral landscape that is ready to make a major change. I won't pretend that I've liked any of the premiers we've had since Peter Lougheed stepped aside.

Don Getty had been tackled once too often without his helmet on, and did a horrendous amount of damage to this province's education systems; Ralph Klein I endured - to be honest, I never could see what the population saw in the man; and Ed Stelmach just hasn't thrilled me either.

Whatever happens, I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome in a few short weeks. My current estimate is (at the very least) a vastly reduced PC government - possibly even a minority if the Wildrose Alliance party manages to split a few rural seats. {I have no idea if they are that coherent yet, but who knows - Alberta's voters are strange beasts}

There's virtually no chance of Stelmach surviving the outcome, either. Even if he is the next premier, the party will be smarting from the lost seats, and the loss of their presumed "right to govern" and the next leadership review will be hotly contested. If he loses, or comes up with a minority, Stelmach will be history - almost overnight. Either way, I doubt that he'll be our Premier by the time 2012 rolls around.

On a more local level, I look forward to watching the show in Calgary Egmont.