My Fellow Albertans, welcome to the Fourth Session of the Twenty-sixth Alberta Legislature.

Our gathering here today is part of an enduring legacy of centuries of democratic tradition. It’s so easy to take for granted the blessings of democracy that this province and this nation enjoy. But it only takes a read of the daily newspaper to be reminded that this tradition is not enjoyed everywhere around the world.  We read of discontent, violence, and tyranny — and our hearts ache.

Here, however, in this magnificent chamber and in the communities outside these doors and across the province, we see the rich rewards of our democratic tradition, and our hearts soar.

Our ability — our right — to gather here today stems from a legacy of democracy which each of us must pledge to uphold and protect at all times.

Today, brave Canadian men and women in uniform are doing just that, half a world away. Indeed, many of those who have served us overseas have been fellow Albertans — our neighbours and our friends.

As we gather to celebrate our blessings today, we should acknowledge with profound gratitude the courage and sacrifice members of our armed forces are demonstrating in pursuit of the most noble of goals — the promotion of freedom and democracy.

Today, I speak as well of another legacy. Not the legacy of a particular government, or a particular Legislative Assembly, but the 100-year legacy of an entire province and its people:  A legacy born from Albertans’ dreams and hopes — for their children and for their province.

Indeed, new aspirations are being conceived right now, to be fully realized in the years ahead. I speak of Alberta’s leadership role in Canada’s New West.

Albertans know their province is poised to assume that leadership mantle. The last decade in Alberta has been one of astonishing growth — population growth, economic growth, and cultural and social development.

Because of this historic record of achievement, Alberta stands poised on the threshold of a glorious future. Securing that future must be our legacy, and your government stands ready to help Albertans achieve this.

Your government has a vision for our province that is crafted from the dreams of Albertans, and shaped by their hopes; a vision in which all Albertans benefit from the province’s prosperity by proper, effective investments into services and infrastructure that improve quality of life; a vision of a province well-positioned to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population; a vision in which Alberta is master of its own future, and well-prepared to weather the global economic storms that appear on the horizon from time to time; a vision of a clean, healthy natural environment to be bequeathed to our children.

Above all, it is a vision of a province where individual Albertans are confident that the only limits to our success are the scope of our dreams and the strength of our desire; a province where families are strong, and where young people have a well-founded faith that the future holds promise for all in equal measure.

In this legislative session, and in all legislative sessions in which it has the privilege of governing, this government will lay out a clear plan for achieving this vision. This plan will support strong communities as the key to sustaining and enhancing our high quality of life. It will take bold action to combine development with a strong environmental ethic. And it will capitalize on new opportunities to grow our economy and secure long-term prosperity for all Albertans.

Your government will act on what Albertans have told it, and it will introduce legislation and initiatives that reflect the time-honoured values of Albertans and the bold spirit of Alberta’s future.

Albertans know that the success of the last decade has led to unprecedented opportunity.  And they also know, as this government knows, that complex problems emerge as growth creates prosperity.

Albertans are concerned about access to health services, even as the province spends record amounts on health care. They are troubled by what seems to be increased crime and violence in their communities, even as new crime-prevention programs begin to reap dividends. They are bothered by traffic snarls on Alberta’s roads, even as the province invests heavily in new infrastructure. And they are anxious about the number of homeless Albertans, even as the province enjoys great prosperity.

In particular, they are concerned about the rising cost of housing and other expenses, even as family incomes increase. And they worry about the province’s natural environment, even as citizens and government become more environmentally wise with each passing year.

The government’s plan forcefully addresses these concerns, and commits to working in close partnership with Albertans on practical solutions — building a sound and sustainable legacy for the future.

Let us turn to that plan.