Editing List of premiers of Alberta (section)

=== Progressive Conservative (1971–2015) ===
The fourth government of Alberta was first led by Peter Lougheed, defeating the 36-year reign of Social Credit in 1971.

Peter Lougheed served as premier, winning four elections, until 1985 when he retired from public office. Some of Lougheed's notable accomplishments were the limited Alberta Bill of Rights, and the [[Heritage Trust Fund]].<ref>[http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/people/prem_lougheed.html Peter Lougheed Bio Alberta Heritage] accessed April 14, 2006</ref>

[[Don Getty]], one of Lougheed's long-time cabinet ministers, returned to politics to win the leadership of the party. Getty's premiership was endorsed by a win in the 1986 general election that saw the NDP climb to 16 seats as the official opposition. Getty's reign became very unpopular as he led Alberta into large deficit spending, and marked an era of big government that, some said, the province could not afford. In the [[1989 Alberta general election|1989 election]] he was defeated in his [[Edmonton-Whitemud]] riding, while his party still won a majority. He sat in the gallery as premier, until he won a seat in a by-election in [[Stettler (provincial electoral district)|Stettler]].<ref>[https://www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/library/PREMIERS/getty.htm Don Getty Bio Alberta Legislature] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113011955/http://www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/library/premiers/getty.htm |date=2008-01-13 }} accessed April 14, 2006</ref> His refusal to leave as premier  helped [[Laurence Decore]]'s Liberals skyrocket in popularity. Getty resigned and was replaced in a bitter leadership battle by [[Ralph Klein]].<ref>[http://www.mapleleafweb.com/election/alberta/Albertaleaders.shtml Ralph Klein Bio mapleleaf web] accessed April 14, 2006 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060214145558/http://www.mapleleafweb.com/election/alberta/Albertaleaders.shtml |date=February 14, 2006 }}</ref>

Ralph Klein, the former mayor of Calgary, led the party into the [[1993 Alberta general election|1993 election]], promising a new era of debt reduction and fiscal accountability. He walked away with a slim majority. Ralph Klein's folksy appeal helped the Progressive Conservatives renew themselves. He led the party through two elections, gaining in popularity each time. The price of oil rebounded and the government, despite low rates of taxes on the wealthy and corporations, was showing a surplus of $3 billion every year. In early 2004, Klein announced that the Alberta debt had been paid in full.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050315104209/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1089644515172_85053715/?hub=TopStories Klein declares debt retired; CTV News] accessed April 14, 2006</ref> He was rewarded by voters in the [[2004 Alberta general election|2004 election]], despite running a campaign with no new policies. His party lost a number of seats to the Liberals, and during the campaign he stated this would be his last election. In 2006 at a Progressive Conservative convention delegates forced him to pick a retirement date by giving him relatively low numbers in a [[leadership review]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090315013354/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060331/klein_leadership_vote_060331/20060401?hub=Canada&s_name= Klein dealt a crushing blow in Leadership; Review CTV News] accessed April 14, 2006</ref>

[[Ed Stelmach]] succeeded Klein as premier, following his win of the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative party in 2006. He won the [[2008 Alberta general election|2008 provincial election]], but, troubled by dissension within his party as well as lagging in polls behind the upstart [[Wildrose Party]], resigned as the party celebrated its 40 years in power in 2011.

[[Alison Redford]] subsequently was elected party leader and became the first female premier of Alberta. Despite strong opposition from the Wildrose Party that most polls and media predicted would end the PC's 41-year dynasty, Redford and the PC party won re-election in April 2012, making Redford Alberta's first elected female premier. Due to a steep decline in approval ratings and a spending controversy,<ref>[http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/alison-redford-s-approval-rating-plunges-to-18-per-cent-poll-1.1736943 Alison Redford's approval rating plunges to 18 per cent: poll] accessed March 19, 2014</ref> Alison Redford announced her resignation on March 19, 2014, as premier of Alberta, effective March 23.<ref>[http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/alison-redford-resigns-as-premier-of-alberta-1.1737226 Alison Redford resigns as premier of Alberta] accessed March 19, 2014</ref>

Alberta Deputy Premier [[Dave Hancock]] was selected as premier and interim party leader by the Progressive Conservative caucus on March 20, 2014,<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/dave-hancock-to-be-interim-alberta-premier-1.2580189 Dave Hancock to be interim Alberta premier] accessed March 20, 2014</ref> and became premier on March 23, 2014.

[[Jim Prentice]] was elected as the permanent leader of the PC Party on September 6, 2014, and succeeded Hancock as premier on September 15, 2014.  He turned the government around on a number of crucial issues, cancelling the closure of the Michener Centre, for example. He was elected to the constituency of Calgary-Foothill in an October 27, 2014 by-election, as the PC Party won the four by-elections held that day while the rival Wildrose Party did very poorly. Less than two months later, most of the Wildrose Party caucus—including leader Danielle Smith, crossed the floor to sit with the PC Party. However, Prentice government's popularity dropped sharply by spring 2015, due to a budget that was unpopular among the political spectrum, with the collapse in PC support also attributed to falling oil prices and the past scandals under the Redford government. Prentice had over a year before he was obliged to dissolve the legislature, nonetheless he decided to call a [[snap election]]. On May 5, 2015, the PC Party's 44 straight years of government ended as they lost 60 seats in the Legislature to fall to third place in the legislature, while the NDP won a majority government over the resurgent Wildrose Party which finished second and become the Official Opposition. Prentice resigned as party leader and as an MLA, leaving the PC Party with only 9 seats.