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Progressive conservative party leader and Alberta premier Alison Redford (C) is greeted by supporters at a local coffee house during a campaign stop in Calgary, Alberta, April 22, 2012.TODD KOROL/REUTERS

Calgarians hold all the power in Alberta's election, and 18 prominent business and cultural leaders have issued a plea: Vote PC.

The Progressive Conservative Party has trailed its more conservative offshoot, the Wildrose Party, in the polls since the beginning of the election race. Both have vied for endorsements, with both winning over Albertans with sway.

Now Alison Redford, leader of the PCs, is waving around a new list of backers. And they have strong words for their fellow citizens.

"Change for the mere sake of change is likely to erode Alberta's continued stability and good fortune; and electing an untested and evolving political party is likely not the best change," the 18 PC supporters wrote in an open letter to Calgarians dated April 20. The authors consist of board members, executives, investment bankers, an arts advocate, among others.

"Now is not the time to build barriers around Alberta which isolate us from the rest of Canada and the world," they wrote. The PCs posted the 478-word letter on the party's election website.

The election, which could end the Tories' 41-year governing streak, is Monday. Voter turnout is expected to be high, and both Ms. Redford and Danielle Smith, her top opponent, spent time in Calgary trying to secure support.

The open letter, which was still being circulated Sunday, is signed by folks such as Bonnie DuPont, a Bank of Canada board member and former Enbridge Inc. executive; Jim Gray, a well-known oil and gas businessman; Chen Fong, a radiologist who sits on the Alberta Children's Hospital foundation board; Yves Trepanier, gallery owner and prominent Calgary arts advocate; and Peter Valentine, a former auditor-general of Alberta.

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Tickers mentioned in this story

Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page. Data updated as of 28/03/24 4:00pm EDT.

SymbolName% changeLast
ENB-N
Enbridge Inc
+0.53%36.18
ENB-T
Enbridge Inc
+0.29%48.95

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