Alberta Election Polls: NDP a threat to reigning PC government

"Hang on to your hat, it's going to be a very exciting time in this province." - Jim Prentice, start of campaign

For decades, Alberta politics has been about as predictable as the spring rain. And this year's spring election was supposed to be the same. But suddenly this season... politics in Alberta has become tumultuous: filled with floor-crossing M.P.s; emerging political saviours; and though it has been said before, signs that the province's Progressive Conservative dynasty could be coming to an end.

The conservatives have held power for 43 years... and yes, those are consecutive years! And, there's never been a minority government in the province, since joining confederation.

But with a three-way race shaping up among the PCs, Wildrose Party and NDP.... next week's vote has history-making potential. Albertans vote in their provincial election one week from today, May 5th.

In the last election there was spectacular proof that polls can sometimes get it wrong, Bruce Cameron is a political pollster and analyst, and the president of Return On Insight. He was in Victoria, 

We convened a panel of three astute political observers. They've all been watching every little swing of the #abelection as well as watching for signs of a large-scale political shift at play in the province.

• Jen Gerson is a correspondent with The National Post. She was in Calgary.
• David Cournoyer moonlights as the blogger behind Daveberta.ca and spends his days as a communications advisor with the United Nurses of Alberta. He was in Edmonton.
• Lorne Gunter is a columnist for the Edmonton Sun. 

This segment was produced by The Current's Sujata Berry and Calgary Network Producer Michael O'Halloran.