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The NDP always sees Alberta from the bottom up: from the street rather than the executive suite.

That simple fact explains how Premier Rachel Notley’s government behaves. It’s a useful lens for those still deeply disoriented by the first non-conservative government since, oh, early 1935.

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The dispute over power purchase agreements is a classic case.

Conservatives of all stripes tend to see the government lawsuit against utility companies as an attack on investment, the sanctity of contracts and the free-enterprise ethic that built the province.

For Notley’s NDP, though, the corporate attempt to dump PPAs is proof that consumers are getting shafted by companies that made huge profits but now exploit a contract loophole that ensures they never risk anything.

The New Democrats don’t believe their actions will cause investors to flee. Nor do they expect the companies to shift their losses (estimated at anywhere from $600 million to $2 billion) to power consumers.