Throne Speech hailed as election campaign

Alberta politicians return to the Legislature Tuesday.

As usual, the Speech from the Throne will kick off the new legislative session

Normally, that speech sets the table as to what the government hopes to accomplish in the coming weeks but with a spring election on the horizon many people are wondering why they should bother.

Most political observers say the Redford government's Speech from the Throne amounts to nothing more than free pre-election advertising for the ruling Tories.

Joan Crockatt with Crockatt Communications echoes that.

"I think we're basically going to hear the Conservative government of Alberta, under Alison Redford, lay out their election campaign platform tomorrow," says Crockatt.

She says this week's budget likely won't contain any surprises either.   Crockatt says, after being in power for 40 years, the Tories are using the political calendar to their advantage, forcing opposition parties to scramble to try and get their message out.