Ralph Klein is an embarrassment to Alberta.

Ralph Klein is an embarrassment to Alberta.

He suffers from a self-centred and short-sited view of his position in Canada and the place that Alberta can occupy in the history of Canada to come.

Alberta did not suddenly arrive at the enviable position it does not find itself in now, nor did its current position have much to do with whether we had Ralph Klein as premier, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle the Moose as premier.

It had more to do with the infrastructure and vision of the political leaders that both Canada and Alberta have had in the past 133 years.

Alberta could not have been, without the vision of someone sitting in Ottawa saying that we needed a railroad from Coast to Coast.

Alberta could not have survived its early history of being a ‘have not’ province in serious trouble of being unable to feed its people, until the first oil well was drilled and completed.

Alberta, except for oil and gas, has little to support it.

Our agricultural industries are fickle at best, at the behest of Mother Nature and world markets. Neither of which Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle can have much power over.

As we have seen our lumber and tourism industries have never been reliable in the long term because they rely on many outside influences and pressures, that again Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle can have much power over.

When Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle take a look at all of the things that Alberta gains by being a part of Canada, and can benefit from by not being a skinflint when it comes to equalization payments, something that if Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle are premier, they have much control over anyways.

It benefits Alberta and Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle as premier to have strong provinces with strong post-secondary and health systems.

It benefits Alberta to have a strong confederation with every province being able to contribute in some way to both the past and future of Canada, that it makes you wonder why Ralph Klein’s whining is paid attention to any, but the far closed-minded right wing of his party.

Of the three, Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle, can point out who sees that this sort of pandering to the far right wing of the Tory party here in Alberta is good for Alberta, Albertans, and Canada.

Since Ralph Klein only received 21% of the popular vote when getting the set of keys to the Premier’s office, even Bullwinkle can see that the first leader that offers viable, believable and grown up political vision and leadership, will be able to wipe the Alberta Legislature clean.

Alberta is changing. Alberta is growing up. Alberta is becoming far more cosmopolitan and visionary with a view of the world that obviously Ralph Klein has chosen to ignore.

If any leader, be it Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle want to lead Alberta into a future that can be endless and a leader of good in the world, then they must remove the blinders that are the trademark of Ralph Klein and his tired myopic Tory party of today in Alberta.

Can Jim Dinning do it?

I doubt it. He is chasing the same people for their support that Ralph Klein chased to get elected so often. Saying little to offend them, and showing no vision to attract the people in this province who have seen no reason to vote, for either the Tories or anyone else for that matter in Alberta’s provincial political landscape.

Jim Dinning should follow the sage advice of Bullwinkle. Always look for greener pastures where no one else is looking. Who knows, maybe Jim Dinning will find his Rocky to lead him to the greener pastures.