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A founding myth of the United Conservative Party has taken a beating this week.

Many felt that once Jason Kenney routed the NDP and became premier, investors would dance in the streets, the unemployed would flock back to work and the valleys would be green again.

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Exaggerated as this may be, the expectation of reborn prosperity was incredibly powerful. Born of deep economic desperation, it was not exactly fostered by the UCP, but hardly denied either.

The government knew recovery would be tough. Premier Kenney said so. But hardly anybody expected it to be this tough.

The departure of Encana from our midst, although not unexpected, is symbolically devastating. It shows that headquartering in Alberta has become a disadvantage because of pipeline constraints, weak investment and infuriating federal leadership.

Kenney blames Liberal policy and general hostility to the industry. He’s certainly correct.