EDMONTON- Peter Lougheed, who transformed Alberta into a modern petro-powered giant and an equal player in Confederation, has died at the age of 84.

His family says the Calgary-born lawyer and former Premier had been ill for several months and died Thursday of natural causes.
    
Lougheed was Premier from 1971 to 1985 after taking the reins of the fledgling Progressive Conservative Party in Alberta in 1965.
    
Within six years, Lougheed built a party that turfed a decades-old Social Credit dynasty and launched one of his own that continues to this day.
    
Lougheed’s family says a private burial will be held and that plans for a public memorial will be announced in coming days.

“Canada lost a truly great man” is how Prime Minister Stephen Harper reacted to the death of former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed Thursday night.
    
He said Lougheed was ”one of the most remarkable Canadians of his generation.”
    
Other tributes were equally glowing, with ex-Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow calling Lougheed ”one of the giants of Canadian history.”
    
Alberta Premier Alison Redford issued a statement calling Lougheed a dear personal friend and “a powerful inspiration.”
    
Liberal M-P Justin Trudeau also called Lougheed a giant of Canadian politics and a ”man of vision, integrity, and heart.”