At first glance Ed Stelmach's ruling Progressive Conservative party should have no trouble cruising to a landslide victory in Monday's election in the Canadian province of Alberta.

The economy is on a roll, thanks to huge investment in the bitumen-like oilsands, the biggest oil reserves outside Saudi Arabia. Alberta will enjoy a growth rate of 3.2 per cent this year, according to Bank of Nova Scotia, well above the national average of 1.9 per cent.