Progressive Conservative leadership front-runner Jim Prentice has finally officially joined the race to replace former premier Alison Redford – opening a very interesting and critical chapter in Alberta politics.
And although early indications are that the former federal Conservative cabinet minister should handily win the September leadership race, the real challenge will come when the Prentice-lead PCs face voters in 2016.
And that 2016 battle, particularly against the front-running Wildrose Alliance led by Danielle Smith, already promises to be a do-or-die fight to decide if the PCs' decades-long run is finally at an end.
Right out of the gates, Prentice is promising to be a different leader than Alison Redford and her predecessor Ed Stelmach.
"We deserve to have proper leadership politically and I don't think we've had what we need," said Prentice. “I intend to make sure that we have a disciplined, focused approach to government and that we restore the trust that needs to exist between Albertans and their government.”
In announcing his candidacy, Prentice said one of his goals, should he be elected, would be ending “entitlements and restoring the public trust.”
The dramatic end of Stelmach's rule followed by the utter destruction of Redford's rule has lead not only to the dramatic rise in the fortunes of the Wildrose Party, but have also caused many Albertans to question whether the PCs are even still fit to rule.
With an increasingly long record of putting themselves first and ordinary Albertans second, the PCs' leaders have shown time and again that they believe themselves unassailable and entitled to rule this province as they alone see fit.
And now PC leadership forerunner Prentice has vowed to be different than his predecessors.
After this long run of scandal and mismanagement by recent PC leaders – from Ralph Klein's drunken episode at the homeless shelter to Redford's jet-setting, high-spending ways – should Albertans be faulted for wondering if it makes any sense to take Prentice at his word?
Of course the Liberals, NDP and Wildrose will be spending the months leading up to the PC vote attacking Prentice and his fellow candidates at every turn.
And thanks in no small part to recent PC leadership follies, the opposition parties have plenty of ammunition to go after the ruling Tories and whoever leads them with a vengeance.
Rightly or wrongly the late Ralph Klein was dubbed King Ralph during his long and highly controversial political career in Alberta.
Make no mistake, Jim Prentice has a very big job ahead if he hopes to someday be crowned King Jim.
