It's April in Alberta and, while we’ve certainly not yet seen the last of the snow, we're yet to see the first of the Alberta Party.

Despite a great name and some excellent startup publicity, there’s little reason to believe the new and improved Alberta Party will blossom in this province's increasingly crowded political garden.

It’s a sign of Alberta's troubled political times that new parties are popping up like dandelions in springtime. Voters are discontented with the government of Premier Ed Stelmach, who is seen as a bumbler with no plan. But they are even less impressed by the traditional opposition parties.