‘tis the season for eternal optimism:

CALGARY – They haven’t elected a Calgary MLA for two decades and only snared one per cent of the vote in a recent city byelection, but NDP Leader Brian Mason remains optimistic his party can make a breakthrough in the heart of Conservative country.

Mason believes the redrawing of electoral boundaries for an expected 2012 election — as well as adding four seats to the legislature, including potentially a few in Calgary — could be a boon to the NDP.

In the last election, the NDP cracked 10% of the vote in two Calgary ridings, picking up 13% in Calgary North Hill and 14% in Calgary Fort.

So, for any aspiring gerrymanderers out there, the challenge is to divide up the Calgary map so that the Dippers win a seat in Calgary.