round two: top alberta political moment of the decade.

After a raucous first round of voting, the second round of the Top Alberta Political Moment of the Decade contest is now open. With 997 votes counted, the following top 10 moments have made it to the second round.

Some readers have raised concerns that certain NDP organizers helped push Linda Duncan over the top in the first round of voting, but like real elections, the results are decided by those who show up. The point of the contest is to find a good balance between what was exciting at the time and what would make it into a Alberta Social Studies textbooks 30 years from now (when the next change in government is due to happen). You can vote daily for your choices until Saturday, December 19, 2009, when a winner will be announced and crowned shortly afterward.

Top Alberta Political Moment of the ’00s?
	2000: Thousands of Albertans protest the passage of private health care Bill 11.
	2001: Ralph Klein berated the homeless in a late night visit to a mens shelter in Edmonton.
	2004: Ralph Klein declared fiscal debt erased, making Alberta the first debt-free province in decade
	2005: Gay marriage becomes legal in Alberta.
	2006: Calgary MP Stephen Harper became Prime Minister of Canada.
	2006: $400 Ralphbucks cheques mailed to every Albertan.
	2006: Ralph Klein received 55.4% approval in the PC leadership review.
	2006: Ed Stelmach defeated Jim Dinning in the PC leadership contest.
	2008: Linda Duncan defeated Rahim Jaffer to become the second-ever NDP MP from Alberta.
	2009: Danielle Smith was elected as leader of the Wildrose Alliance.
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This blog has been voted into the second round of the 2009 Canadian Blog Awards. You can now vote for daveberta.ca in the Best Political Blog, and Best Blog Series, and Best Overall Blog categories (the series Smith v. Board of Education was nominated).

I also recommend voting for Mastermaq for Best Technology & Science Blog, Calgary Grit for Best Political Blog, and Capital Notebook for Best Blog written by Journalist. Remember to please vote early, and vote often.