An Insights West poll asked Albertans to weigh in on the province’s heroes, politics, and people and two former premiers topped the list of those individuals they admire most.

627 Albertans took part in the online survey that was conducted from July 15 to the 18.

Heroes: Albertans were asked to select the one person, living or dead, who are from or are associated with Alberta, who they admire most:

  • Ralph Klein votes: 163
  • Peter Lougheed votes: 125
  • Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi: 19
  • Professional gardener and former Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole:19
  • Edmonton Oilers icon Wayne Gretzky: 17

Politics: Albertans were asked to name the best head of government the province has had since November 1985.

  • Three-in-five Albertans, 59 percent, selected Ralph Klein
  • Don Getty was a distant second at 7 percent

58 percent of Albertans chose Alison Redford as the worst premier of the past three decades.

Just one-in-four Albertans, 23 percent, believe the province would be better off as its own country.

“Residents aged 55 and over feel strongest about Albertan independence,” says Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, at Insights West. “By a 6-to-1 margin, those aged 18-to-34 believe the province is doing fine within confederation.”

People: Two thirds of Albertans, 67 percent,  believe their views are different from the rest of the country:

  • 64 percent of Albertans believe they have more in common with Americans than Quebecers
  • 38 percent feel they have more in common with Americans than with Ontarians
  • Nine-in-ten Albertans, 92 percent, say they are proud of the province they live in
  • One-in-four, 26 percent, consider themselves “Albertans first, and Canadians second
  • 72 percent of residents believe they will stay in Alberta for the rest of their lives
  • 63 percent think their children will reside in the province

According to the poll, the words used the most by Albertans to describe what makes their province unique are hard-working, oil, friendly, diverse and beautiful.

Click HERE to see the complete poll results.