The Trudeau years were not anathema to all Albertans. Many of us who worked during that time in scientific endeavors remember them as happy, productive years.
The riding now held by Stephen Harper was represented by a Liberal.

Employment was high, and Alberta concerns capable of research- the major oil companies, who cooperated in exploration in new areas with PetroCanada- may have had mixed feelings, but benefitted from having their research dollars matched, and a chance to share in Arctic Islands, Arctic offshore and provincial offshore exploration that they felt they could not afford on their own. Oil sands research, research for construction of ice islands for Beaufort offshore drilling, detailed study of Canadian stratigraphy and paleontology with reference to resource exploration and other projects went forward during the Trudeau-Liberal years. Some of the work done during those years is now coming to fruition. Canada is now the main source of petroleum imported by the U. S., and Alberta benefits from exploration and engineering that began in those days.

Some small concerns, interested only in the quick buck and unable to mount useful research or pay for expensive exploration, complained bitterly because they were unable to profit from opportunities afforded by government support. Unfortunately it is the voice of these interests that is remembered.

When the support stopped, research conducted by the major companies left for the U. S. and UK. The federal and provincial labs that were left lost the cooperative efforts of the professionals in industry who either left or became redundant.