Alberta

Alberta is one of Canada's provinces. It celebrated 100 years as a province in 2005 on September 1st. As part of the Centennial celebration, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the province from May 23 to May 25, 2005.

Government

See also: Politics of Alberta

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The government of Alberta is a parliamentary democracy. The unicameral provincial parliament -- the Legislative Assembly -- consists of 83 members. The government is headed by the Premier, Ralph Klein, and the city of Edmonton is Alberta's government seat. The province's revenue comes mainly from the taxation of oil, natural gas, beef, softwood lumber, and wheat, but also includes grants from the federal government primarily for infrastructure projects. Albertans are the lowest-taxed people in Canada, and Alberta is the only province in Canada without a provincial sales tax (though residents are still subject to the federal sales tax, the GST). Alberta's municipalities have their own governments which (usually) work in co-operation with the provincial government.

Related Topics:
Parliamentary - Democracy - Unicameral - Legislative Assembly - Premier - Ralph Klein - Edmonton - Grant - Federal government - Infrastructure - Tax - Canada - Sales tax - GST

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Alberta's politics are much more conservative than those of other Canadian provinces. Alberta has traditionally had three political parties, the Progressive Conservatives ("Conservatives" or "Tories"), the centrist Liberals, and the social democratic New Democrats. A fourth party, the strongly conservative Social Credit Party, was a power in Alberta for many decades, but fell from the political map after the Progressive Conservatives came to power in the early 1970s. Since that time, no other political party has governed Alberta.

Related Topics:
Politics - Progressive Conservatives - Liberals - New Democrats - Social Credit Party - Decade - 1970s

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In the 2004 provincial election, held in November, the Alberta Alliance Party, running to the right of the Conservatives, won one seat in that election.

Related Topics:
2004 provincial election - Alberta Alliance Party - Right

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See also: List of Alberta Premiers, List of Alberta general elections

Related Topics:
List of Alberta Premiers - List of Alberta general elections

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