Viewing it as a referendum on the carbon tax seems very simplistic, I would hope that Albertans would be looking at a lot more issues than that! Federal approval for Trans Mountain expansion should help Notley for example, shouldn't it? If I were an Albertan, I would be looking at what the parties propose to diversify the economy and reduce the impact of oil price crashes. How about making the provincial public service one of the most efficient in the country by making its services practically rather than politically focussed? What will be the UCP policy platform and how will it reach consensus?

Sadly, this merger unless it blows apart quickly, probably guarantees a Conservative win but I question how it will be good for the Province - Harper's united Conservative party was really bad for Canada IMHO.