When you think of Alberta you think of beaches right?

The fine people at Alberta Tourism do.

"Alberta is trying to rebrand itself these days - apparently, as England.

Provincial officials have found themselves defending the use of a scenic beachfront photo in the province's new $25-million public relations campaign, which was launched last month to counter criticism of Alberta's oilsands development.

However, it turns out a photo featured front and centre in the campaign - showing a boy and a girl running along a rugged beachfront - isn't from Alberta.

The picture was shot near the village of Bamburgh in Northumberland, 70 kilometres north of Newcastle-on-Tyne. In England, it's a famous beach, near Bamburgh Castle, known as the legendary home of Sir Lancelot.

"There's no attempt to make people think that this is Alberta," said Tom Olsen, director of media relations for Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach. "There's no attempt to mislead. That picture just fit the mood and tone of what we were trying to do."

Olsen said the picture was chosen because of its foreign location to represent Albertans' interest in global issues. In the province's promotional video, he said, the voice-over that accompanies the picture speaks of Alberta's interest in the future, not just of the province, but of the world."

Um, yeah. Ooookay. When I see a picture with the word 'Alberta' on it, I tend to assume it's a picture of, oh say...Alberta. Just like when I see a picture that says 'Ontario' on it, I don't expect to see the Great Barrier Reef or Sao Paulo, Brazil.

And really, a beach? In Alberta?