Last year, Albertans tossed the Progressive Conservatives from office.

The PCs had bet Albertans’ jobs on a never-ending boom, then abandoned them in the bust.

They emptied their Heritage Fund.

Fixed rules so CEOs pay the same tax rate as secretaries.

Spent public money flying friends and family.

Cut education and health care.

That gang wants back. And they’ve written their play – “Jason Kenney, Alberta Uniter.”

After 26 years in Ottawa, Kenney’s shed his Ottawa power suit and minister’s car.

He’s in new jeans, driving a bright blue Dodge Ram pickup – and talking about uniting Albertans behind the PCs, with him as leader.

But it’s not going according to script.

How can it? His entire life, Kenney – anti-abortion crusader, anti-tax lobbyist, social conservative – has been a polarizing and divisive politician.

Kenney’s political life hasn’t been dedicated to unifying anything except power.

No summer script can erase what’s been burned into voters’ psyche over 26 years.

Kenney polarizes Albertans and has little room to grow.

So says a recent poll by ThinkHQ.

Only 4% of NDP supporters approve of Kenney, 74% disapprove. No growth there.

Compared to Kenney, about 75% of Wildrose supporters prefer current Wildrose Leader Brian Jean – who Kenney aims to depose. So blocked there.

Overall, Kenney holds a 2% net approval rating, albeit higher than any other potential PC leadership contender.

But a Kenney-led PC party would still run third. Rachel Notley’s governing NDP would hold first.

Even if thunder bolts wiped out all memory of Kenney’s 26 polarizing years, this summer’s script creates new doubts.

In past provincial elections, Kenney cheered for Wildrose.

Now he’s switched to the PCs, the party he wants to lead, then destroy by merging it with Wildrose.

The PC leadership campaign officially starts in October and candidates can’t register until then.

But Kenney’s found a way to give himself a head start.

He’s set up Unite Alberta Inc., a corporation which can take donations and spend money.

Elections Alberta says there’s nothing they can do about it.

There’s the hypocrisy.

Kenney used to denounce double-dipping politicians.

But he’s going to keep taking his $12,000 per month MP paycheque until October, even though he spends his days campaigning across Alberta.

He doesn’t need the money.

He’s a single guy with none of the costs of raising kids.

Elected at 29, for 20 years he’s been an MP – for 10 of them as minister, who are currently topped up to $240,000 a year.

He already qualifies for a potential $6.3 million in pension payments to age 90.

Then there’s his Trump-like policy inconsistency.

Kenney’s against deficits, but voted for 10 of them as a Conservative minister.

He wants pipeline development, but his and the federal Conservative government’s climate-denying approach didn’t build one mile of it.

He doesn’t want a price on carbon, but once suggested a “small sales tax” in Alberta.

He favours more trade deals, but cheered Brexit.

He was strongly against abortion and gay marriage, now doesn’t want to talk about them.

Kenney polarizes because he feels like a slick huckster.

This isn’t about uniting Alberta.

It’s a play to return the old gang to power – the crew who dug a deep hole, took anything valuable from it, shoved Albertans down it, and now criticize them as they try to climb out. Kenney’s their man.