Despite the growing dissatisfaction Albertans felt with the ruling party, the election remained Jim Prentice's to lose. Though odds were stacked against him, there were too many missteps, and at the root of each was a failure to respect the intelligence of the Alberta voter.

. Growing up, we've all heard the story of Cinderella, and how a pumpkin was transformed into a magnificent coach. But this is the first time I've heard of a premier turning into a pumpkin, or vice versa, as the case may be.