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Author: Jared Wesley, Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Alberta

A number of years ago, I wrote a book about how to become a premier of Alberta. In it, I suggested one of the keys was to cast oneself as the “Guardian” of the province’s interests.

The findings were based on a study of over 70 years worth of premier speeches and campaign materials. I found the most successful premiers (from Bible Bill Aberhart to Ralph Klein) had spoken in a distinct “code” of Alberta politics that defended the freedom of the province — freedom for individuals to pursue happiness and businesses to pursue profits, but also freedom from foes outside Alberta’s borders.

Most frequently, this meant casting prime ministers and other premiers as antagonists. Peter Lougheed chose Pierre Trudeau, just as Klein villified Jean Chretien. (The plot seems most convincing when Liberals are in power in Ottawa. Less successful Conservative premiers Don Getty, Ed Stelmach, Alison Redford and Jim Prentice lacked a suitable foils in Brian Mulroney and Stephen Harper.)