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By Connor Gunn/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Delayed Report Released

Opinions mixed on report investigating foreign funding to halt Alberta oil and gas development

Oct 22, 2021 | 9:08 AM

EDMONTON, AB – Officials with the Alberta government say the public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns confirmed that hundreds of millions of foreign dollars were used to block the province’s oil and gas development.

A release from the province states that “its final report shines a light on the sophisticated, coordinated and well-financed campaigns – such as the Tar Sands Campaign.”

The report found that between 2003 and 2019, the total foreign funding of Canadian-based environmental initiatives was $1.28 billion.

It found that proponents for these campaigns celebrated cancelled and vetoed projects.

Groups have taken credit for more than 1,000 divestments made by finance and insurance companies representing $8 trillion of investments.

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“This includes seven campaigns specifically targeting divestment in the oil sands, including the SumOfUs campaign that targeted the Trans Mountain Pipeline, Keystone XL, and the Teck Frontier Mine,” the release reads.

Energy Minister Sonya Savage, says another finding was that these environmental groups operate with limited transparency and accountability compared with regulated public companies.

“We need to take the report’s findings, learn from the tactics employed, and ensure that foreign funding does not target the development of the emerging energy resources, including hydrogen, carbon capture, utilization and storage, critical and rare earth minerals, small modular reactors and LNG, which are needed to reduce emissions and diversify Alberta’s economy.”

“They need to be able to grow and compete in a world that is moving towards lowering carbon emissions. These campaigns will likely set their sights on these emerging areas in the energy sector. It is money looking for a cause. This government will not allow this critical sector of our economy and jobs to be influenced by foreign-funded campaigns,” Savage adds.

However, Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley issued the following statement in response to the release of the Steve Allan Report:

“This report will not create jobs for Albertans. After several years of work and millions of Alberta tax dollars spent, the UCP has done nothing to open new markets for our energy products.

“Our provincial government must be focused on finding jobs, not looking for enemies. Instead, they are deliberately lying about the funding being provided to charitable groups and the intended purpose of that money.

“We need to build support for industry, continue to promote ourselves internationally and build a reputation as the sustainable source for global energy. Alberta is at a critical juncture. This is part of how we build an economic future for our province, keep our brightest people here and develop new industries to spur economic growth. Unfortunately, neither the Allan Report nor the minister’s dishonest description of it does this.

“It is remarkable Steve Allan was not present today to comment on the report he authored, and Jason Kenney was also not present.

“The report itself clearly states that Mr. Allan did not uncover any behaviour other than Canadians exercising their rights to free speech. In fact, it doesn’t appear that Mr. Allan uncovered any new information at all. The fact is this is a government that has dumped tens of millions into a war room that has harmed our reputation, they have made a failed bet on the KXL pipeline despite clear evidence it would be cancelled, and they handed over $4.7 billion to profitable corporations without creating any jobs.

“Alberta’s energy sector is moving aggressively towards a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and I share that goal with our major producers. That is the story we must be telling the world.”

To view the full report and its finding, go to Inquiry report: Key findings.

(With files from rdnewsNOW)