Better take a big breath to blow out all these candles!

Despite the fact the week has not exactly gone Alberta's way, with the Federal Court of Appeals overturning approval of the TransMountain Pipeline, today (September 1) its time to forget all that, at least temporarily, and celebrate the fact that today Alberta is 113 years old.  And, when you think about it, in "earth" age, we're virtually babies, just getting started.

It was September 1st, 1905 that Alberta split from the Northwest Territories to become a province.  Saskatchewan did it the same day but, technically, we are two minutes older (I'm just making that part up).  

The ceremony to become a province took place at noon on September 1st when George Hedley Vicars Bulyea was appointed Lieutenant Governor, took the oath and Alberta was a province.  We got our first premier the following day when Alexander Cameron Rutherford was appointed.

No one is sure what the population of Alberta was since calculators and smartphones hadn't been invented at the time.  Prime Minister Laurier estimated about 250,000 people when he introduced the legislation in the House of Commons.  Apparently, the figure was derived from the number of homestead applications that were received.  Even then, everyone wanted to live in Alberta!

Alberta is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria.  Thank goodness she wasn't named Olga or Bertha! (no offence meant to people named Olga or Bertha, but can you imagine being referred to as Olgans or Berthans!)  

Regardless of some of the recent ups and downs in the economy and political uncertainty, we can all be thankful that we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Happy birthday to all Albertans!

 Questions, comments or story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com