West Yellowhead MLA Ivan Strang believes that Ralph Klein’s recent decision to leave office in 2008 will give the government the best chance for re-election.

“We’re allowed to go until November of 2009 — it’s the maximum before the next election,” said Strang. “So this is healthy for our party — the bottom line that I look at is that at least this allows us to move forward before we have to go to the polls.”

Klein announced last week that he would resign as party leader in October, 2007 but would remain as premier until the following spring, allowing a leadership race to take place without the pressure of an upcoming election campaign. Klein has been the top politician in the province since 1992, and according to Strang, the premier’s veteran status afforded him the luxury of being able to dictate the terms of his own retirement.

“This gentleman has worked very hard for the province of Alberta,” said Strang, who added that he was happy Klein had made his plans known at this stage.

“He stated in 2004 he wouldn’t be seeking another term. With that settled, we can move ahead,” he said.

There was some speculation that Klein chose to make the announcement ahead of a leadership review vote scheduled for the end of March in order to avoid an embarrassingly low approval rating from party members. Strang doesn’t put much stock in that story, but admitted that he had heard from constituents about Klein’s plans, both before and after the premier called his press conference.

“A few people phoned and some are happy that he has made a decision, and other people have stated that they feel we should move on. Everyone has an opinion but from government’s perspective this moves things along,” Strang said.

While his boss might have settled on a plan for the future, Strang has made no decisions on his own political future.

“Everyone, once in a while, thinks about what you should do,” he said. The former Mayor of Edson, Strang has served in the provincial legislature since 1997. “We’ve only just barely done a year. Once we get closer to the end, then I’ll have to sit down and assess where I’m at with my health and with my woman,” he said.

The race to replace Klein is shaping up as one of the most interesting political contests in Alberta’s history. Former provincial cabinet ministers Jim Dinning and Mark Norris have been running unofficially for some time now. Many prominent members of the current government are expected to join the race in the months ahead, including Infrastructure Minister Lyle Oberg and Advanced Education Minister Dave Hancock. So far, the only cabinet member to have stepped aside in order to officially declare  his candidacy is former Intergovernmental Relations chief Ed Stelmach.

As for his own allegiances, Strang is playing his cards close to the vest for now.

“I will look at it and let our West Yellowhead party constituency have a look,” he said. “I’ll bring out different people to meet with us and so on, but I won’t make my mind up until 2008.”

While Klein’s retirement has been the biggest news at the legislature of late, Strang is still fielding calls from concerned constituents on another hot topic, the “Third Way” health care reforms.

With increasing costs and a constant demand for better access, Strang believes there is a need for a thorough re-think on how health care is provided in the province. He wants to reassure those who believe the proposals are just the first step in a series of radical changes.

“It’s evolving and people are concerned, and I don’t blame them, but the bottom line that I look at is that government is not going to wreck the system,” he said. “The average age of an MLA in the legislature is 53, so there is no way we are going to wreck the system when we are in that vintage. That’s the way I look at it.”