Are there any significant departures from the use of the simple past tense?

These measures represented a significant departure from traditional quality systems.

A most significant departure for someone so senior to involve himself personally.

If so, it would be a significant departure from the last five years.

That's a significant departure from the approach taken by the Rehnquist court.

"This is a pretty significant departure from the past," the Administration official said.

However, there are a number of significant departures from the earlier document.

It was the most significant departure from their original style to date.

This book is a significant departure from her previous work.

This may be the most significant departure from the early days of modern architecture.