It was no surprise that the federal Conservative party held its January convention in Calgary. The city is party Leader Pierre Poilievre’s hometown.

More importantly, Alberta is the party’s most secure beachhead in any election battle.

Opinion: Federal Tories walk fine line in Alberta Back to video

How important is Alberta to the federal Conservatives? Conservative parties, under various names, have owned Alberta since the Diefenbaker years of the late 1950s. Of the 409 federal seats won in Alberta since 1980, only 25 have gone to non-conservative candidates — less than one per cent. It is often said that a dog running under the Conservative banner — even a dead dog — could win in Alberta.

No other province is so solidly partisan.

As good as this may seem to Conservatives, it is also a problem for the federal party. Consider the issue of Alberta separatism. Does Poilievre’s party oppose it? Maybe, but its guns are mainly centred on the federal Liberals who they say caused it — an assertion that separatists and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith are........

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