An Alberta radio station apologized yesterday for faking a call from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to Alberta Premier Ralph Klein over a hockey bet.

The morning crew from rock station CFBR (the Bear) at 103 FM admitted they created a computer-generated impersonation of Mr. Schwarzenegger.

Klein officials said he thought the California Governor was returning a call the Premier made a few days earlier to set up a bet on the National Hockey League playoff series between Calgary and San Jose.

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The two politicians were reported to have agreed to put up $1,000 each on the outcome of the best-of-seven semi-final. The loser was to donate the money to the winner's charity of choice.

The station's managers admit in a letter to Mr. Klein that the prank went too far and have agreed to donate $1,000 to the Premier's favourite charity.

One Edmonton newspaper ran the story of the bet on yesterday's front page and the news quickly spread across Canada and the United States.

Marisa Etmanski, Mr. Klein's press secretary, had said earlier the Premier thought talking to Mr. Schwarzenegger, a former actor best known for his roles in the Terminator movies, was "cool."

Mr. Schwarzenegger was elected California Governor last year in the state's recall vote.

Mr. Klein became Alberta Premier in 1992.

Last fall, the same radio station faked a call to Mr. Schwarzenegger from the Prime Minister's Office.

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A disc jockey adopted a bad French accent and exchanged pleasantries with Mr. Schwarzenegger, who at first laughed as he accepted congratulations from the phony prime minister, but then grew suspicious and hung up.