CAPP/Kenney’s Snitch Submission Email for $2.5 Million “McCarthy style witch hunt” of courageous concerned citizens, to help polluting, job-decimating, billion $ profit-taking, largely foreign-owned multinationals. The Inquiry lies, says not linked to Kenney’s war room even though inquiry is reportedly paid for out of war room’s budget! Inquiry Commissioner Steve Allan is industry-biased of course: Was Director of Compton Petroleum, chaired Compton’s Audit Committee (company with a greedy sordid sour history)

Ears to the wall! Alberta’s environmental snitch line is now accepting emails by David J. Climenhaga, September 10, 2019, rabble.ca

CAPP/UCP Snitch Line Email: email hidden; JavaScript is required

… “At this stage of the process, I’m focused on information gathering and fact finding, and that’s why it is critical that I hear from anyone who has valuable information to share,” said Steve Allan, the accountant from Calgary who’s commissioner of the inquiry that’s causing more chuckles on the West Coast than the original Steve Allan Show.

In addition to the enviro-snitch line, the inquiry has a cool website that tells about what the commissioner will do, which apparently includes “planning the next steps of the inquiry,” an activity that may or may not include taking actual testimony from actual people.

But first, Commissioner Allan’s got side trips planned to Washington, Toronto, Vancouver and Haida Gwaii, all nice places where the inquiry has no authority whatsoever. He might want to bring along a hat and a pair of sunglasses for his visits to the latter two stopovers.

Inquiry into foreign-funded un-Albertan activities launches new website, snitch-line Satire by daveberta, Sept 9 2019

***

Is CAPP-Kenney-Allan’s snitch project to escalate Alberta’s oil & gas industry induced job losses, ignorance & greed?

McCarthy style attacks on concerned, oil-patch harmed Albertans is not new.

In 2005, AER when it was EUB, attacked Ernst for sending the regulator documented evidence of Encana breaking the law. EUB violated Ernst’s Charter rights, judged her to be a criminal in writing without any evidence, no hearing, no trial, no charges, no fingerprinting, no arrest, trying to scare her silent and stop her from uncovering more Encana crimes covered-up by the EUB and Alberta government. Six months later, EUB lawyer Rick McKee, used nasty McCarthy Red-Baiting tricks trying to scare Ernst into admitting to crimes she had not committed to justify EUB breaking the law. McKee failed, miserably.

Twelve years later, in January 2017, Supreme Court of Canada Justice Rosalie Abella pissed on Ernst and Canada’s Charter, lying in the court’s ruling in Ernst vs AER, writing that the regulator found Ernst to be a vexatious litigant. In Canada, not only does a top judge lie to protect a law-violating AER enabling law-violating Encana, the company was asked by Alberta’s Court of Queen’s Bench Chief Justice which judges Encana wants in the Ernst vs Encana lawsuit. Kenney, you’re hunting for witches in all the wrong places!

***

Compton Petroleum has a greedy sordid sour history:

COMPTON PETROLEUM CORPORATION APPLICATIONS FOR LICENCES TO DRILL
SIX
CRITICAL SOUR NATURAL GAS WELLS, REDUCED EMERGENCY PLANNING ZONE, Decision 2005-060
SPECIAL WELL SPACING, AND Applications No. 1276857, 1276858,
PRODUCTION FACILITIES 1276859, 1276860, 1307759,
OKOTOKS FIELD (SOUTHEAST CALGARY AREA) 1307760, 1278265, and 1310351

The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB/Board) conducted an extensive public hearing from January 11 to March 4, 2005, to consider nine related applications by Compton Petroleum Corporation (Compton) to drill six horizontal sour gas wells seeking gas reserves containing 35.6 per cent hydrogen sulphide (H2S), to construct and operate associated surface facilities, to reduce the emergency planning zone (EPZ) to 4 kilometres (km), with a corresponding emergency awareness zone (EAZ) of 8 km, and to implement the associated emergency response plan (ERP). …

The Board has determined the following with respect to Compton’s reduced EPZ application:
• Compton’s proposed reduced 4 km EPZ is not sufficiently protective of public safety and is therefore denied, as is the corresponding 8 km EAZ.
• Compton must use a reduced EPZ of 9.7 km, composed of an evacuation zone of
approximately 5 km in radius and a sheltering zone of approximately 4.7 km in radius.
• Compton must use an EAZ of 15 km.

***

And, the witch snitching has begun!

Brian W. Eanie‏ @anonfmresidentSep 9

So the clowns of the @Alberta_UCP have set up a environmentalist snitch line be a real shame if it got flooded with nonsense reports. email hidden; JavaScript is required.

stephenson‏@marylee12345 Replying to @anonfmresident @Alberta_UCP
My husband wants to buy a hybrid vehicle! I am so torn as to whether I should report him or not

Maggie wilson‏@MaggieGranny Replying to @anonfmresident @Alberta_UCP
Do your thing fellow Canadians. Destroy it with laughter

Megan‏@sohotitsart Replying to @anonfmresident @Alberta_UCP
The email hidden; JavaScript is required has responded to my first email about my evil BUS taking friend. They are kindly reviewing my correspondence & claim they will respond. I feel so listened to & that the 2.5 mil$ was well spent. Thanks @jkenney for taking wasteful to new heights. [Roaring laughter!]

Megan‏@sohotitsart Replying to @anonfmresident @Alberta_UCP
Another email sent. My sons bike was stolen & I’m considering replacing it, but for the good of Alberta I know he should really drive a huge gas guzzling truck. I requested some money & a gas allowance. I told them I’d accept e-transfers. I’ll keep you posted on the new wheels.

Megan ‏@sohotitsart Replying to @anonfmresident @Alberta_UCP
I just sent an email about this insurgent I know, a neighbor, who GASP, uses a discreet clothesline, even on cooler days. I’m told it’s highly effective for drying cloth of all kinds. BUT uses no power whatsoever!!! It’s terrible. This can’t go on. Help @jkenney PLEASE!

Megan‏@sohotitsart Replying to @anonfmresident @Alberta_UCP
Already sent them an email about a degenerate friend who ALWAYS takes transit. ALWAYS! She doesn’t even have a drivers license!!!
Traitor!

I feel guilty but felt I had to do the right thing to help @jkenney & his War on the Environment & Common Sense.

***

A few of the comments to the articles below:

David Brown
This “inquiry” is unique for modern Canada. It is essentially a McCarthy style witch hunt. It is an “inquiry” into people who wrongly or rightly have a different viewpoint about oil sands developments to which in a democratic society they are entitled. It is comparable to an “inquiry” into people who oppose abortion which would or should be treated with abhorrence by anyone who is right thinking. The notion that it is appropriate to have an inquiry into “unfair criticism” is something best left for totalitarian states. The very suggestion that “unfair criticism” is the source of Alberta’s problems is itself ridiculous.

Steve English
The myth that Alberta is somehow producing “responsible oil and gas ” is just that. Perhaps this will lead to an investigation of the many foreign interests involved in the industry in Alberta. They are taking our resources at bargain basement prices, leaving orphan wells and the disastrous results of fracking for Albertans to deal with for decades into the future. This includes the tons of methane exacerbating climate change.

Montgomery Gotfriend
Stop being such drama queens! Nobody is out to ‘get’ Alberta and our oil industry is far from innocent. Why doesn’t the UCP just implement actual measures and policies to innovate the industry and improve its reputation, instead of wasting tax money attacking honest charities and forcing them to channel their resources into fighting his fascist agenda? Being this defensive without any substance just makes Alberta look more guilty. These organizations and anyone else on the planet affected by climate change, have every right to challenge Alberta environmental record until the industry can provide credible science supporting their position.

Mark Bentley
….Never before has an industry caused so much damage to the planet with so little concern. Sometimes someone needs to speak up for the future of the planet. (Yes, I am also an Albertan)

Mark Bentley
Reply to @Keith Mick: Seriously? Now you are accusing Albertans of treason if you disagree with the oil and gas corporations? Sorry, but no. When a corporation is not acting in the best interests of the country then maybe it is treason not to publicize it.

***

This map by University Montreal says everything Kenney ‘n CAPP are too chicken to!

***

BNN Interviews Alberta Oil Patch Consultant Brent Nimeck on Lexin and AER’s Orphan Wells: “This problem is 30 years in the making. … I would call it a Ponzi Scheme…. This is an orchestrated fraud from multiple angles: Industry, CAPP and the Alberta Energy Regulator have enabled this to happen. … Through our independent analysis and we’ve confirmed this at multiple sources within the energy regulator, the liabilities are over $300 billion. That’s what’s on the hook for Alberta taxpayers right now – $300 billion.”

Premier Jason Kenney gives oil & gas industry $30 million gift from taxpayers to attack concerned citizens courageous enough to speak out, Gives not one penny to fix Rosebud’s drinking water aquifers frac’d illegally by Encana, covered-up by “No Duty of Care” AER

Alberta: More corporate welfare stench! 65,000 shallow gas wells qualify to get more than $23M in freebies from taxpayers. Again, not a penny for Albertans suffering frac quake damages, drinking water loss/contamination, health harm, loss of livestock etc.

***

A few tweets by Chris Turner

Probably the more egregious thing in this piece is Braid mashing Amnesty International in with “these people,” by which he means anti-oilsands protesters, whose ranks Amnesty has never joined, as a way of ignoring entirely the substance of their complaint

“There’s no cause about which Kenney is more passionate than First Nations prosperity.” Even in a column full of weak argumentation, this is downright Trumpian in its dubious hyperbole

And brilliant, as ever, email by Stewart Shields, of Lacombe Alberta:

Subject: Watching And Listening To The Alt-Right Protecting Their Own Is Indeed Hilarious!!
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 13:10:33 -0600
From: Stewart Shields email hidden; JavaScript is required
To: email hidden; JavaScript is required, email hidden; JavaScript is required, email hidden; JavaScript is required, goodale email hidden; JavaScript is required, email hidden; JavaScript is required
CC: brian mason email hidden; JavaScript is required, CommissionersOffice email hidden; JavaScript is required, Doreen Mueller email hidden; JavaScript is required, Facebook , innisfail email hidden; JavaScript is required, Lacombe Ponoka email hidden; JavaScript is required, letters email hidden; JavaScript is required, Ministerial Unit email hidden; JavaScript is required, Ministre / Minister (EC) email hidden; JavaScript is required

This is really hilarious –does Don Braid know the past of who is being asked for no harassment, surveillance or criminalization of human rights for citizens who oppose or criticize (the governments) energy agenda and its implications for the rights of indigenous people and the global climate crisis?? A cursory review of how Jason Kenney got to become Alberta’s Premier– and the roll he played as the leader of a Kamikaze Gang to become the beneficiary of a host of crimes and a “hot money” donation from a corporation who has yet to answer for their efforts to get Kenney elected as the UCP leader– by using illegal funds to pay Callaway’s entry- to act as a Kamikaze partner for Jason Kenney would benefit any writer making comment of what is possible of this Alberta Premier!! Many Albertans now feel that there is indeed enough evidence to be presented to a judge to have Kenney brought before a neutral judge to face Fraud and extortion charges!! The Kamikaze case seems to have hit a stall that is not welcomed by many knowledge voters who are very aware of Kenney’s misdeeds prior to his leadership race—and his antics and misdeeds since!! We are now calling on the Election Commissioner and the RCMP to bring the aforementioned charges against Kenney so a judge can decide his guilt and sentence??

Stewart Shields

Wild allegations about inquiry anger Kenney by Don Braid, September 10, 2019, Calgary Herald

Premier Jason Kenney’s opponents just proved his point.

The day after the public inquiry into anti-oilsands funding went public, Amnesty International sent a personal letter to Kenney blasting the probe as an attack on “human rights defenders — particularly Indigenous, women, and environmental human rights defenders — exposing them to intimidation and threats, including threats of violence.”

Something like this was bound to happen; I’d even warned in a column that a formal inquiry with full court powers would invite allegations of abuse.

But this attack? It’s absurd. And it proves Kenney’s point that there is no restraint in the opposition to the oil and gas industry.

That being obvious, the UCP theory goes, there’s nothing to be gained by caving or cowering before these people. The only option is to fight back. That’s why he established the inquiry in the first place.

Much as many Albertans prefer compromise and conciliation, it gets harder to disagree with Kenney’s tough strategy in the face of such wild, nonsensical charges.

First, how does the inquiry into foreign funding somehow threaten not just human rights and women, but Indigenous people in particular?

All Kenney has said, repeatedly, is that he’ll fund legal actions by Indigenous advocates of oil and gas projects and pipelines, just as the other side funds Indigenous opponents.

There’s no cause about which Kenney is more passionate than First Nations prosperity. Besides funding for legal action, the government promises a First Nations economic development agency. The premier constantly says it’s time for First Nations to share fully in economic benefits.

The problem for Amnesty International, obviously, is not human rights or Indigenous poverty, but climate change. Human rights are available to those fighting the “energy agenda.” Those who defend responsible energy development are by definition the enemies of human rights.

The secretary general of Amnesty International, Alex Neve, demands that Kenney ensure there is no “harassment, surveillance or criminalization of human rights defenders who opposed or criticize (the government’s) energy agenda and its implications for the rights of Indigenous peoples and the global climate crisis.”

What’s next — the United Nations sends in troops?

It seems there is no justification — this being a human-rights thing, you see — for any serious examination of foreign anti-energy funding or activity. That demand may be the surest sign that investigation of some kind is overdue.

Kenney scorned Amnesty International on Tuesday during a speech in Fort McMurray, saying he formed an Amnesty club in high school, when the organization nobly sought freedom for prisoners of conscience in dictatorial regimes. Today, he said, it backs foreign billionaires trying to block Alberta’s industry.

He pointed out that there is remarkably little anti-energy activity from these organizations in places such as Russia or Saudi Arabia, where a person can get in real trouble.

At the same time, they ignore every environmental advance in the Alberta industry, including the latest from Suncor.

By shifting from coke to natural gas to fire two cogeneration units, at a cost of $1.4 billion, the company expects to cut emissions by 25 per cent, equivalent to removing 550,000 cars from the road.

This is a significant reduction in Canadian emissions. There will be no credit whatever from the people who push the anti-oil agenda so hard they’ve succeeded in radicalizing many Albertans.

The critics have had a clear field for years. Canada is the soft target, the land whose new tennis star says “I’m sorry” for winning.

The federal election campaign starts Wednesday. To kick off his supporting role, Kenney announced that the province will launch a constitutional challenge against Bill C-69, the new federal law many believe will prevent the building of any new pipeline.

The Alberta government has complained for years about the demonizing of oil and gas. It always makes a rational case. But never before has the province truly joined the battle.

The blowback from interest groups is ferocious. You have to wonder — does Kenney have them worried?

Amnesty International raises concerns about Jason Kenney’s strategy to fight anti-oil forces by Kieran Leavitt, Sept 10, 2019, Star Edmonton

EDMONTON—Global human rights organization Amnesty International condemned the Alberta government’s “fight back” strategy Tuesday, saying the energy “war room” and a public inquiry into allegedly foreign-funded anti-oil and gas campaigns could potentially violate charter rights.

But a constitutional law expert says that while the United Conservatives’ tactics could be “treading close to the line,” the steps the government has taken so far don’t meet the bar for violating freedom of expression.

… Critics have slammed the initiatives as akin to a “witch hunt” that could fuel divisiveness on social media and the government silencing of environmentalists who speak out against the oil and gas industry.

In an open letter addressed to Kenney dated Sept. 10, Amnesty International says the organization is “deeply concerned that these initiatives undermine and violate a range of Alberta’s human rights obligations.” The mandate for the war room and public inquiry is so broad, the letter reads, that the group worries anyone simply criticizing the oil and gas industry could be subject to being discredited or silenced.

Amnesty International urged Kenney to halt the initiatives as they currently stand, saying they contribute to “a worsening climate of hostility towards human rights defenders — particularly Indigenous, women, and environmental human rights defenders — exposing them to intimidation and threats, including threats of violence.”

The non-profit raised further concerns about possible violations of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as international law, “including freedom of expression, freedom of association, the rights of Indigenous peoples and gender equality.”

Amnesty International is a non-profit based in London, but has offices all over the world, including Canada, and advocates in human rights cases.

University of Ottawa law professor Carissima Mathen said she can see how aspects of Alberta’s strategy might not be consistent with the “spirit of the charter” to encourage full and free debate. But that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s active interference in people’s right to speak.

“A little bit of caution goes up in talking about this tip line, but you’d need to see a lot more. How is this information being used? If it’s actually being used to target people, you might have a stronger argument, but that would require additional facts,” Mathen said.

“If the state is indicating you might be subject to blowback or negative consequences for engaging in what is clearly charter-protected expression, that would definitely be an issue,” she added. “But I’m not sure we’re there yet.” [It already happened regularly in Alberta, years ago, by the EUB then ERCB now AER.]

This B.C. researcher’s oilsands theories are being championed by Jason Kenney. Just one problem — experts say they’re not true

Alberta launches $2.5-million inquiry into foreign-funded ‘defamation campaign’ on oil industry

… Amnesty International outlined several ways the Alberta government could ensure the initiatives don’t negatively impact human rights.

That includes making sure public funds aren’t used to harass or set up surveillance on those defending human rights, specifically Indigenous peoples and others who criticize the government’s agenda. [That’s already been happening for many years]

Duff Conacher, co-founder of the non-profit government accountability group Democracy Watch, said Tuesday that there’s nothing inherently wrong with setting up a process for people to complain about potential wrongdoing.

But he’s concerned that the system announced Monday isn’t bound by secure whistleblower protections, and he said that could put people who submit to the inquiry at risk. [Best protections for our rights, is for all citizens “compelled” to participate, to say, “No thank you.”]

Other agencies that collect information from whistleblowers have rules about protecting people who report to them, which he doesn’t see with the Alberta inquiry.

“A full system would say if you contacted them in a way that they would know your identity, they would be very specifically empowered and required to keep your identity anonymous,” Conacher said, “They would protect you actively through the whole process of investigating your allegations.”

The inquiry website says that emailing the address to submit information acknowledges agreement to the privacy policy and terms and conditions, which state that none of the submissions to the website will be subject to any confidentiality by the inquiry.

Alberta opens public submissions for environmentalist foreign funding inquiry by The Canadian Press, September 9, 2019, CBC News

Interim report expected by the end of January

The Alberta government has started a website to allow people to submit information to its inquiry into foreign funding of environmental groups.

Inquiry commissioner Steve Allan says he is also planning to travel outside the province, with stops in Toronto, Vancouver, Haida Gwaii, B.C. and Washington, D.C.

The inquiry is to also make use of American investigations into the activity of Russian social media bots in the United States.

An interim report is expected by the end of next January.

The province says public hearings may or may not be held.

United Conservative Premier Jason Kenney, who has long argued that foreign-funded charities are deliberately trying to landlock Alberta resources, has said the inquiry has a budget of $2.5 million.

A few comments to the CBC article above:

Laine Vos … And all the while the RCMP are still investigating financial irregularities and whatever else to do with the UCP leadership race.

John McLane
Maybe they need to also look at foreign influence in the corporate oil/pipeline industry. Kenney is one that can’t be trusted and will do as the puppet strings dictate.
I personally will not support Alberta and it’s oil fetish mainly because of there tactics to intimidate and bully there way with no concern on how it may effect others. Truth is something they make up and real science is taboo.

Jordan F. Dorino I was a Manager in the Communication Industry. The O&G industry wanted our services, but felt they shouldn’t have to pay for the infrastructure required, even though they were the only ones in the area using it.

Amnesty International says Jason Kenney’s ‘fight back’ strategy violates human rights, Alberta premier calls allegations in letter ‘beyond ridiculous’ by Michelle Bellefontaine with files from Jamie Malbeuf, Sept 10, 2019, CBC News

Amnesty International Canada says critics of Alberta’s oil and gas industry face threats, intimidation and violations of their human rights under Premier Jason Kenney’s plan to expose alleged foreign funding of Canadian environmental groups. [The war room just escalates those rights violations that happen often in Alberta, nastiest of the rights violators and liars so far is AER!]

In an open letter to Kenney, Secretary General Alex Neve on Tuesday urged the United Conservative government to end plans for both the public inquiry into the funding issue and the energy “war room.”

“Amnesty International is deeply concerned that these initiatives undermine and violate a range of Alberta’s human rights obligations, under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international law, including freedom of expression, freedom of association, the rights of Indigenous peoples and gender equality,” Neve wrote.

“Amnesty International is also gravely concerned that these initiatives, and the rhetoric surrounding them, feeds into a worsening climate of hostility toward human rights defenders – particularly Indigenous, women, and environmental human rights defenders – exposing them to intimidation and threats, including threats of violence.”

On Tuesday, Kenney told CBC News prior to his speech in Fort McMurray that the allegations in the letter were “beyond ridiculous” and said he would “absolutely not” abandon the two initiatives, which were a key part of his party’s election platform.

Kenney said he started an Amnesty International club in high school “when it used to actually fight for releasing prisoners of conscience.”

“Now it’s fighting to protect foreign-funded billionaires from transparency when they’re funding a campaign to landlock Canadian energy,” Kenney said. “That make’s absolutely no sense.”

He said Amnesty International should be more concerned about the world’s use of oil from countries with poor human rights records like Saudi Arabia and Russia instead of Canada.

‘Report an Albertan’

Neve’s letter comes one day after the Alberta government launched an online submissions page to support the public inquiry led by Commissioner Steve Allan.

The announcement provoked immediate backlash online.

While the government said the site allows Albertans to send Allan relevant information for his investigation, critics said it amounted to a “snitch line” for people to report their neighbours for allegedly “un-Albertan” activities. [Will the complete list of full names and addresses of the snitchers be made public? That’ll be the only valuable and interesting information out of this foolish arrogant bullying, hideous abuse of power sham of a “public” inquiry! ]

The #ReportAnAlbertan hashtag trended on Twitter Monday evening.

The first part of Allen’s investigation is described as a fact-finding mission with trips to British Columbia and Washington, D.C. He will interview people and conduct research. He can hold public hearings if he chooses.

Allen has the power to compel witnesses to testify and provide documents, but only within the province of Alberta.

His final report is due on July 2, 2020.

Amnesty International urges Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to abandon ‘Fight Back Strategy’ Open Letter by Amnesty International, Sept 10, 2019

Human rights concerns regarding the Government of Alberta’s “Fight Back Strategy”
Open Letter to Premier Kenney.pdf

EDMONTON, AB – Amnesty International has sent an Open Letter to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, highlighting serious human rights concerns with his aggressive approach to defending the oil and gas industry from criticism, including plans to establish an “energy war room” and a public inquiry into the alleged foreign funding of groups who oppose or criticize energy developments in the province.

The human rights organization is deeply concerned that Kenney’s proposed “Fight Back Strategy” undermines and violates a range of Alberta’s human rights obligations, under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international law.

Further, his approach exposes human rights defenders – particularly Indigenous, women, and environmental human rights defenders – to intimidation and threats.

Apart from a call to abandon the Fight Back Strategy, Amnesty International urges Kenney to:

Ensure that any initiatives to promote the oil and gas industry in Alberta are fully consistent with Alberta’s international human rights obligations and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Actively and consistently promote and uphold the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and peaceful protest.

Retract any inflammatory statements made about human rights defenders and refrain from any accusations that directly or indirectly smear, stigmatize or could lead to threats and violence against them. [Who asks the Supreme Court of Canada to remove their cowardly smear of Ernst in their ruling in Ernst vs AER, and apologize for the harm it caused?]

Make clear that the Alberta government will hold all actors involved in the province’s oil and gas industry – including companies, industry associations and advocacy groups supportive of the industry – accountable for their human rights responsibilities, in particular respecting the rights and safety of human rights defenders, Indigenous peoples and persons of all genders.

Ensure that public funds will not be used in any way that leads directly or indirectly to the harassment, surveillance or criminalization of human rights defenders who oppose or criticize the Alberta government’s energy agenda and its implications for the rights of Indigenous peoples and addressing the global climate crisis.

[Amnesty is years too late! Such nastiness, violations of Charter rights and other abuses of concerned Albertans has been going on in Alberta for years!]

Refer all cases involving threats against human rights defenders targeted for their opposition to or criticism of the oil and gas industry to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or municipal police forces for investigation.

***

To the RCMP?

Amnesty does not know Alberta’s Evil Ways used to enable the oil industry’s many crimes.

Watch the Intimidation of Ernst for an RCMP reality check that took place 10.5 years ago:

***

Work with human rights defenders who have been threatened, to put in place measures they deem necessary for the protection of their human rights.

Ensure that any government efforts to counter criticism of the oil industry in Alberta are consistent with the province’s responsibility to address the rapidly mounting human rights impacts of the global climate crisis.

Refer also to:

2019 07 04: Sputtering laughter! Watch the news clip! Jason Kenney’s corporate welfare war room launches $2.5M inquiry into magic land

The government’s $30-million war room was established to lobby on behalf of the province’s oil and gas sector, Kenney said….

UCP’s public inquiry into oil enemies could backfire by Don Braid, Sept 10, 2019, Calgary Herald

The public inquiry into foreign-funded attacks against Alberta’s energy industry went public Monday, and what an odd enterprise this is.

The device of a full-blown public inquiry, the highest judicial level of impartial public investigation, has never been used before in such an overtly political way.

***

[Would be much more appropriate for a full-blown public inquiry to appropriately honestly investigate the endless frac harms caused by oil and gas companies, starting with the community water supplies ruined by law-violating abusive bully Encana and it’s ex-CEO Gwyn Morgan who led the law violations and illegal aquifer fracs and abandoned the community that he brazenly frac’d!]

2005 01 27: Investigators say an accumulation of gases appears to have caused the explosion that destroyed the Rosebud water tower and sent a Wheatland County employee to hospital

***

The campaign against the oilsands and pipelines has been unfair and hugely damaging. It demands a powerful response. [Pffft! The tarsands companies have not stopped making billions in profits, and taking those profits out of the country after spending mega dollars automating away jobs to further feed their greed and increase their profits — at the terrible expense of Albertans losing their jobs – not because of citizens publicly speaking about about the endless pollution caused by the industry but because of the greed of investors and corporate upper management ever wanting more.]

But the tools should be political, economic and legislative — not a special court of investigation.

There’s a big risk that the inquiry can backfire on the UCP government and the whole province.

Forcing individual critics to testify can look like an oppressive use of state power. [What else is new about Alberta/EUB/ERCB/AER/Encana?] If commissioner Steve Allan decides to hold public hearings, anti-oil groups would have a spectacular showcase for their causes, while claiming to be persecuted.

Yet the inquiry is quickly forging ahead.

On Monday, it put up a website with the title “Public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns.” [Super Stupid is as Super Stupid Does.]

The website asks people who may have information to make submissions.

One key goal is to finger Canadian groups that might have used foreign money to spread false information and strip them of charitable status.

The inquiry declares itself immune to freedom of information requests, because it is not a “public body.” [ROARING LAUGHTER! “Declares itself.” Wonder what Aberta’s Information & Privacy Commissioner thinks of this! This inquiry is reportedly funded entirely from Kenney’s $30 million dollar war room, which is a public body. It’s doubtful Kenney/CAPP’s “war room” spawned/funded inquiry can declare itself FOIP-Immune. It’s entirely paid for by Albertans! Is the media publishing CAPP/Allan/Kenney directed falsehoods to make people not FOIP the inquiry? FOIP it, no matter what they say (they are not trustworthy or believable), and if they refuse to fulfill your FOIP, take it to the OIP Commissioner for adjudication!]

July 2019 tweet above from https://twitter.com/maxfawcett

Note the headline in the snap above reporting that it is Kenney’s war room that is launching this inquiry!

But it can call witnesses and compel testimony, in Alberta and perhaps beyond. [Won’t that be fascinating to watch unfurl]

Allan is already gathering information. In September, he’ll visit Vancouver and Washington, D.C. October will see him in Haida Gwaii, B.C., and Toronto. [What’s Allan gonna do in Toronto? Chat with known convicted pedophiles licenced by Ontario’s Law Society to practice law there to get more licenced in Alberta?]

The inquiry says [starting off lying on launch day is not too smart!] it has no link to the government’s “energy war room” now nearing launch by Energy Minister Sonya Savage. [Who believes that!? Is the inquiry saying so to prevent citizens from FOIPing it? The funding for Kenney et CAPP’s witch hunt comes entirely out the war room! That’s a mighty HUGE link! $2.5 Million huge!]

The website also downplays the influence of one researcher [? A fraud?], Vivian Krause, who has driven this whole cause. It says her work is just “one potential source.”

“Importantly, the Commissioner is approaching the Inquiry mandate with an entirely open mind and will subject all available information and evidence gathered to objective and impartial scrutiny.”

Having known Allan for decades, I have no doubts about his high integrity.

But the inquiry itself looks like overreach born of Premier Jason Kenney’s desire to represent and contain the anger that could spill over to some new protest party.

When he broached the idea of an investigation on May 5, 2018, at a massive meeting of 3,000 UCP members in Red Deer, the crowd cheered and applauded enthusiastically.

But in that speech, he said only that there would be “a special Alberta legislature committee investigation into the sources of foreign funds behind the anti-Alberta special interests.” He didn’t mention a judicial review under the Public Inquiries Act.

There’s no question about the public appetite for payback against unfair criticism that has helped devastate Alberta’s economy. [Pfffft! The oil patch and Albertans’ insane greed devastated the economy and industry’s automation will finish it off.]

But nothing could hurt the cause more than the impression of an Alberta kangaroo court hauling up climate change activists.

The public inquiry device is rarely used — only twice in the last 20 years — precisely because it’s such a powerful tool. And governments have never, until now, so clearly signalled desired outcomes in the formal mandate.

In 1998, a police officer shot and killed Connie Jacobs and Ty, her nine-year-old son, on the Tsuut’ina reserve. A full-scale inquiry was called because of the escalating chaos that led to this needless, unintended tragedy, and the social problems involved.

If you can take some serious heartache today, just read the “circumstances” section of the report, which was issued in 2002.

In 2011, claims of political favouritism in access to health care led to a full inquiry.

The Calgary Flames were part of the story because the whole team arranged a special vaccination session at a private clinic during the H1N1 flu pandemic of 2009.

Although the report found problems and disturbing trends, there was no endemic abuse. The inquiry was still worth doing as a caution to everyone in the health system.

[Who in their right mind would trust the results of any public inquiry or judicial review in today’s oil patch corrupted Alberta?]

But this one? It’s unnecessary, and risky too.

Public inquiry into international campaigns related to energy launches website by Clare Clancy with files from Sammy Hudes, Sept 9, 2019, Edmonton Journal

A public inquiry into international campaigns supposedly targeting the province’s energy industry is launching a website, says the province.

Commissioner Steve Allan, former board chair of the Calgary Economic Development, leads the inquiry, which has a mandate to investigate foreign-funded efforts that Premier Jason Kenney says are undermining Alberta’s oil and gas sector.

It was announced in July.

The inquiry, costing $2.5 million, will last a year and is broken up into two phases. Allan will first focus on [CAPP fabricated] fact-finding through a combination of interviews and research, followed by public hearings if they are deemed necessary.

A final report, to be available to the public, will be filed by July 2, 2020.

The NDP slammed the inquiry, saying it won’t help Alberta expand its market access or build pipelines.

Energy Minister Sonya Savage said the website marks an important milestone for the inquiry.

“This is so that all Albertans … can have an opportunity to provide input to provide their views, research papers, their opinions,” [How many of them will have been written by CAPP, Encana/Cenovus, et al?] she said in an interview Monday.

“It’s an independent inquiry so they’ll examine the information and evidence that comes in and then make some recommendations,” [When oil drenched politicians, academics and experts publicly pimp something as “independent” it will be anything but!] she added. “I think it will inform our policy.”

The website, AlbertaInquiry.ca, includes a submissions page and information about the inquiry, said a Monday news release.

Refer also to:

EUB/ERCB/AER’s Charter-Violating, Abusive, Cowardly McCarthyism expands to UCP Party: War room set for Calgary to attack courageous citizens concerned about Alberta’s deregulated frac-frenzied polluting, health-harming free-for-alls

Jason Kenney’s (CAPP et al’s) War Room swamped by fightin’ mad Albertans falling for lies & propaganda instead of looking honestly at industry’s greed-induced “de-manning” killing jobs & causing their suffering

annie_fiftyseven to onemansopinion

“I’m sticking with the current model and will argue to regulate the hell out of industry.”

Industry is admittedly “de-manning” the “current model,” so you can kiss the jobs goodbye.

“Representatives of Canada’s oil and gas industry like to talk about jobs and all the people they employ. In particular, Tim McMillan, who represents all the oil and gas industry as CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, seems to talk about jobs at every opportunity. Jobs his industry has created. Jobs supposedly at risk from government policy.

And yet oil companies are working hard to eliminate work done by actual people.

There’s even a term for it, popularized by Cenovus Energy executive-VP Kiron McFadyen : ‘de-man’ the sector to achieve ‘zero manning.’ In other words, Cenovus and other companies want to get rid of as many employees as possible in order to maximize profits.”

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/09/05/opinion/why-do-we-listen-oil-execs-when-they-talk-about-jobs

“EXECS LOOK TO ‘DE-MANNING’ TO TAKE WORK FORCE OUT OF THE TAR SANDS/OIL SANDS

… In March, meanwhile, Digital Oil & Gas cast automation as one of several lifeboats that could extend the operating life of the tar sands/oil sands.

‘Despite the relatively few jobs in oil and gas, the industry is still designed around people, and the presence of people in a dangerous industry drives a high overhead cost in safety, training, equipment configuration, and housing, and the work force commands high salaries as a result,’ the industry blog stated. With time, equipment, plant, and vehicles all on the way to being automated, ‘anything with a chair in it today (and anyone whose job is to sit in that chair) is on a sunset path.’ The blog adds that ‘taking people out of the office is another de-manning goal,’ courtesy of robotic process automation technology that mimics human keystrokes.” 

https://theenergymix.com/2017/06/27/execs-look-to-de-manning-to-take-work-force-out-of-the-tar-sandsoil-sands/

“FOSSILS MOVE TOWARD JOBLESS RECOVERY AS OIL PRICES INCH HIGHER

… ‘We’re seeing changes around, is there a better way of doing this? Is there a better way of organizing how we get work done?’ said Lance Mortlock, EY’s Canadian oil and gas strategy services leader. With options like robotics and process automation on the table, he added, fossil executives are looking at ‘different ways that you can do work—better, faster, cheaper—with fewer people involved.’” 

https://theenergymix.com/2017/02/24/fossils-move-toward-jobless-recovery-as-oil-prices-inch-higher/

“Precision coming closer to de-manning directional drilling

Directional drilling technology is one of the foundations of North America’s current oil and gas abundance, enabling both hydraulic fracturing for conventional wells and in situ reservoir drainage in the oilsands.

… By next year Precision Drilling expects to have achieved a major change in the way that directional wells are drilled, enabling de-manning of the process using intelligent algorithms and digital infrastructure.

The company’s directional guidance system (DGS) creates a coordinated workflow between the rig driller and a remote directional driller, the company said in a presentation given at its annual investor day in Houston this week. And that can be taken even further, the company says, extracting the directional driller from the process.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-21/fracking-robots-in-the-works-as-halliburton-digitizes-oil-field

“Fracking Robots in the Works as Halliburton Digitizes Oil Field

Rack up one more thing robots can be used for: Fracking for oil.

Bots already are used to vacuum floors, build cars and do heart surgery. Now, Halliburton Co. wants to add fracking to the to-do list.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-21/fracking-robots-in-the-works-as-halliburton-digitizes-oil-field

“Tens of thousands of oil and gas workers laid off during the downturn have been waiting for the patch to get back on its feet, but many of the jobs could be gone for good.

… Take shale drilling, where just a few years ago you could find 30 rig hands operating diesel pumps, using headsets to synchronize the throttle and pressure needed to break apart the rock formations and free the trapped crude.

Today, that job can be done by two people sitting inside a control van, monitoring the automated, electrified systems, said Mark Salkeld, head of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada.

… Looking ahead, Salkeld said he sees a continued push towards robotics with a crew of two or less, both for costs and increased safety.

He said that future is already arriving, having recently seen a new type of automated rig online.

‘It was a video of this massive, automotive assembly-line type, Star Wars-type robot, that was picking up the pipe, drilling it, and there wasn’t a person in sight.’”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/oilpatch-downturn-technology-advances-replace-jobs-automation-1.4004855

“Oil’s New Technology Spells End of Boom for Roughnecks – One of the last industries where blue-collar laborers can earn high salaries is being transformed as artificial intelligence and automation replace workers

… U.S. production has topped record levels, hitting 10.9 million barrels a day in the last week of June, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, compared with its high of 9.6 million in 2015. But as of May, nationwide oil and gas employment is down 21% since 2014, according to state and federal data compiled by Karr Ingham, an economist for the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, an industry group.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/oils-new-technology-spells-end-of-boom-for-roughnecks-1531233085

“Union outcry as automation eats up 400 oilsands jobs – and it’s just the beginning”

https://globalnews.ca/news/4000125/suncor-union-outcry-automation-oilsands-jobs/?fbclid=IwAR2QaVUFgmoPJ7ted2ieFk7pnw_FzH9r_Ugkauf3fbJMyIrMnvxNiF68xTY

In 2016 the Houston Chronicle was already documenting signs of automation’s impending effect.

‘These new rigs, using sophisticated software and robotics, could reduce the number of people working in the oil patch by up to 40 percent over the next few years.’

Scott Santens, writing in the online publication Medium, spells out these trends in a 2017 article titled, ‘The Real Story of Automation Beginning with One Simple Chart.’

The one simple chart, which can be seen here, shows that while the oil industry has experienced a recent boom in the number of drilling rigs, the number of employees has remained flat. Santens goes on to predict that ‘of the 440,000 jobs lost in the global downturn, as many as 220,000 of those jobs may never come back.’ The industry is getting closer to 24/7 unmanned every day.

However, while good for profits, this is bad for workers and thus is a problem for the industry’s public relations efforts. [Enter Kenney’s (aka CAPP’s) war room] The oil and gas industry historically has pushed new fossil fuel developments as a source of high-paying, blue collar jobs.

Now, many of those jobs are disappearing, and in an era when President Trump’s energy plan is proclaiming how many jobs the shale industry will bring, declining workforce numbers are not a point the industry is seeking to publicize.

James West, an energy analyst for investment bank Evercore ISI, explained to Bloomberg how the industry was likely to spin the impending reductions in the oil and gas industry workforce.

‘They’ll more likely brag about the automation rather than these head counts,’ said West.

… Another panelist, Robert Clarke, research director for energy analysts Wood Mackenzie, recounted conversations he had with industry executives about future production and the workforce:

‘I sit with a lot of executive teams and I simply ask them, “You’re talking about doubling production, does that mean doubling headcount?” They politely respond, “No, that means halving headcount.”‘

The fracking industry, despite its growth and promise, has not reached profitability and to do so these companies are going to have to start removing what Ingram described, in response to a question about automation replacing labor, as ‘structural inefficiencies.’

‘There are large structural inefficiencies to be extracted from this industry that will drive a nice cost advantage situation … ‘ Ingram said. ‘Looking forward to it.’ [Canadians concerned about pollution or greedy, mostly foreign investors, killing jobs?]

High-paid industry executives and Wall Street analysts are ‘looking forward to’ improving the economics of fracking, but in a move that will cost many blue collar workers their jobs.

The oil and gas industry appears primed to follow in the footsteps of the coal industry, where automation has been eating away jobs for decades. While the executives at the top of these firms will continue to prosper, many of the workers — or ‘structural inefficiencies’ — are quickly becoming the latest casualties to advancing technology.”

https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/06/29/rise-machines-fracking-shale-oil-gas-profits-automation-workforce

April 4, 2019 USA – “Layoffs hit highest level for a first quarter since 2009: report

… ‘Companies appear to be streamlining and updating their processes, and workforce reductions are increasingly becoming a part of these decisions. Consumer behavior and advances in technology are driving many of these cuts,’ Andrew Challenger, vice president of the outplacement firm, said in a statement.

‘Another major driver of the uptick in job cuts is economic uncertainty and fears of an upcoming downturn. Companies are reacting to market conditions as much as consumer demand,’ he added.

Auto manufacturers led the layoffs with 15,887 jobs cut. Energy companies followed, with 10,548.

‘Both Auto and Energy companies are pivoting in response to advances in technology and consumer demand for more efficiency. Companies in these sectors are attempting to attract talent who can compete with tech companies, like Apple and Tesla, which are beginning to compete in this space,’ said Challenger.”

****

Public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns, An independent commissioner will lead a public inquiry into the foreign-funded campaigns targeting Alberta’s oil industry by Alberta govt, Sept 10, 2019

Overview
For over a decade, a well-funded foreign campaign has defamed Alberta’s energy industry and sought to land-lock our oil. The reputational harm to the province’s energy sector has limited provincial and industry revenue and cost thousands of jobs. [Corporate/investor greed is costing Albertans jobs! Plenty of evidence above.]

The government has launched a public inquiry, under the Public Inquiries Act, into the foreign sources of funds behind the anti-Alberta energy campaign.

Steve Allan, a Calgary forensic and restructuring accountant with 40 years of experience, has been appointed as commissioner to lead the inquiry.

To learn more about this inquiry or submit relevant information, visit albertainquiry.ca

Mandate
The commissioner will:

inquire into anti-Alberta energy campaigns that are supported by foreign organizations, and determine:

if they provide financial assistance to a Canadian organization which has disseminated incomplete, misleading or false information about the Alberta oil and gas industry

if the Canadian organization(s) has/have charitable status and/or receive grants or other funding from municipal, provincial or federal governments

examine investigations completed in other jurisdictions into similar activities

make recommendations to assist the Government of Alberta:

respond effectively to any anti-Alberta energy campaigns

consider additional eligibility criteria for government grants or charitable status

The inquiry will consist of two phases:

Phase 1 – the commissioner will conduct a paper review, interview witnesses and complete additional research [Nicely, secretly controlled by CAPP?]

Phase 2 – based on the information gathered during Phase 1, the commissioner may hold a public hearing, if necessary

Read the full Terms of Reference [Copied below for archiving, since this witch hunt reeks of dishonesty, corruption, Steve Harper & buddy Gwyn Morgan, a Koch Bros and CAPP, and these types of “independent” investigations and their terms of reference have a way of vanishing from public access as the fraud of them becomes evident to the public]

Reporting timelines
The commissioner will submit to the Minister of Energy:

an interim report with advice, proposals, recommendations, analyses or policy options related to the inquiry no later than January 31, 2020

a final report setting out the findings and recommendations no later than July 2, 2020
The minister will publish the final report within 90 days of receiving it from the commissioner.

Government response will be determined following a complete review of the commissioner’s findings and recommendations.

Biography
Mr. Allan is a leading forensic and restructuring accountant with more than 40 years experience in the field. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta and holds the ICD.D designation with the Institute of Corporate Directors.

He currently serves as the board chair for Calgary Economic Development and is a respected volunteer and community leader who advocates for economic development, poverty reduction, sports and the arts.

Mr. Allan’s accomplishments include:

being recognized by the Turnaround Management Association for his work in helping to restructure the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
serving as Chair of the Canadian Tourism Commission
receiving the Alberta Order of Excellence

Steve Allan Bio

Steve is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta. He practiced in the area of corporate restructuring, insolvency and forensic accounting and throughout his career was involved in some of the most high profile and complex files in Alberta. He is a graduate of the University of Calgary with a B.Comm degree and holds the ICD.D designation with the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Steve is Chair of Calgary Economic Development and the McMahon Stadium Society, and Board Vice-Chair of the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund and Neyaskweyahk Trust of the Ermineskin Cree Nation. Steve served as Chair of the Canadian Tourism Commission (now known as Destination Canada) for seven years and he recently completed a five year term as Governor of the University of Calgary. He also served as Co-Chair of the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative and chaired the Committee to Refresh Calgary’s Economic Strategy.

Steve is currently serving on the City of Calgary’s Event Centre Assessment Committee and the Foothills Athletic Park Redevelopment Advisory Committee.

Steve served as a Director of Compton Petroleum Corp. [company with a nasty invasive sour frac track record] and chaired Compton’s Audit Committee.

He also served as the Chair of the Independent Review Committee of Citadel Group of Funds. He currently serves as a Director of three Limited Partnerships, two involving real estate development and one focused on distress business opportunities. Steve is one of the founders of the Top 7 Over 70 Awards program, and serves on the board of the successor organization, InterGen Canada, dedicated to creating opportunities for retired business people to mentor entrepreneurs.

He is Past President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta and has volunteered for the Institute (now CPA Alberta) throughout his career.

Steve was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in October 2017. He was recognized as Calgary’s ‘Citizen of the Year” for 2006. He also was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and was named Distinguished Alumni of the Year by the Calgary Board of Education in 2009. …

O.C. 125/2019

July 4, 2019

        WHEREAS the Government of Alberta is committed to the timely, economic, efficient and responsible development of Canada’s oil and gas industry, including Alberta’s oil and gas industry;

WHEREAS allegations have been made that foreign individuals or organizations have provided financial resources to Canadian organizations which have disseminated misleading or false information as part of an anti-Alberta energy campaign; and

WHEREAS it is expedient and in the public interest of Albertans and Canadians to understand the facts about foreign funding of anti-Alberta energy campaigns, and to ensure Alberta’s oil and gas industry is not hindered in its reasonable opportunity to compete in international oil and gas markets by the dissemination of misleading or false information;

THEREFORE, the Lieutenant Governor in Council orders that a Commission issue, pursuant to the Public Inquiries Act, declaring this issue to be a matter of public concern and appointing Jackson Stephens Allan as commissioner to inquire into and report on the matters set out in the Terms of Reference in the attached Appendix.

        For Information only

Recommended by: Minister of Justice and Solicitor General [This certainly makes a mockery of “justice” in Alberta]

Authority: Public Inquiries Act (section 2)

APPENDIX

Terms of Reference

[I’ve never seen anything so idiotic and ego loaded in my life]

Definitions

1 In these Terms of Reference,

(a) “Alberta oil and gas industry” means

(i) any and all aspects of Alberta’s petroleum and natural gas sectors, including the exploration, development, extraction, storage, processing, upgrading and refining of Alberta’s oil and gas resources, and

(ii) any aspect of marketing and delivery of Alberta’s oil and gas resources to commercial markets by any mode of transportation whatsoever, including both railways and pipelines falling under provincial or federal jurisdiction;

(b) “anti-Alberta energy campaign” means any and all attempts to directly or indirectly delay or frustrate the timely, economic, efficient and responsible development of Alberta’s oil and gas resources and the transportation of those resources to commercial markets;

(c) “Minister” means the Minister of Energy.

Mandate of commissioner

2(1) The commissioner shall inquire into anti-Alberta energy campaigns that are supported, in whole or in part, by foreign organizations, and in doing so shall inquire into matters including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) whether any foreign organization that has evinced an intent harmful or injurious to the Alberta oil and gas industry has provided financial assistance to a Canadian organization that has disseminated misleading or false information about the Alberta oil and gas industry;

(b) whether any Canadian organization referred to in clause (a) has also received grants or other discretionary funding from the government of Alberta, from municipal, provincial or territorial governments in Canada or from the Government of Canada;

(c) whether any Canadian organization referred to in clause (a) has charitable status in Canada.

(2) As part of the inquiry, the commissioner shall examine the work completed by other investigations in other jurisdictions into similar activities or alleged activities, including but not limited to the following:

(a) the 2017 report by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the United States of America, entitled Background to ‘Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections’: The Analytic Process and Cyber Incident Attribution;

(b) the 2018 United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology Majority Staff Report, entitled Russian Attempts to Influence U.S. Domestic Energy Markets by Exploiting Social Media.

(3) The commissioner shall make such findings and recommendations as the commissioner considers advisable to achieve the following:

(a) make the Government of Alberta and Albertans generally aware of whether foreign funds are being provided in the manner described in subsection (1)(a);

(b) enable the Government of Alberta to respond effectively to any anti-Alberta energy campaigns funded, in whole or in part, in the manner described in subsection (1)(a);

(c) assist the Government of Alberta by recommending any additional eligibility criteria that should be considered when issuing government grants;

(d) assist the Government of Alberta and other Canadian governments by recommending the interpretation of existing eligibility criteria or the creation of new eligibility criteria for attaining or maintaining charitable status.

Report and timeline

3(1) The commissioner shall prepare an interim report with advice, proposals, recommendations, analyses or policy options related to the inquiry and submit the report to the Minister no later than January 31, 2020.

(2) The commissioner shall prepare a final report setting out the findings and recommendations of the commissioner and submit the final report to the Minister no later than July 2, 2020.

(3) The Minister shall cause the final report to be published within 90 days of receiving it from the commissioner.

Amendment of Terms of Reference

4 The commissioner may request, through the Minister, that the Lieutenant Governor in Council amend any provision of these Terms of Reference if the commissioner is of the opinion that amendment is necessary for the proper conduct of the inquiry.

Policy respecting standing

5 The commissioner may grant standing to participate in the inquiry only if, in the opinion of the commissioner,

(a) the applicant is or may be directly or substantially affected by the subject-matter of the inquiry, or

(b) the applicant has a clearly ascertainable interest or perspective that ought to be separately represented at the inquiry in order to assist the inquiry to fulfill its mandate.

Policy respecting financial assistance

6(1) The commissioner shall develop a policy on whether or not financial assistance will be provided to witnesses or interveners in respect of their participation in the inquiry process. [So he has the power to force witnesses to attend, and provide him information he will use to get paid (likely a big salary), but can choose not to pay those witnesses he forces to participate or their expenses? That’s evil and dirty!]

(2) If the policy referred to in subsection (1) allows financial assistance, the policy shall reflect the requirement that financial assistance may only be provided if the witness or intervener

(a) demonstrates that he or she would not be able to participate in the inquiry without such financial assistance, [ANYONE WHO IS FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISGUSTING WITCH HUNT, STATE THAT YOU NEED FULL COMPENSATION AT A RATE OF $200.00 PER HOUR, AND ALL EXPENSES FULLY PAID, UP FRONT. DO NOT TRUST ANYONE IN THIS INQUIRY, TO REIMBURSE YOU!]

(b) has a substantial, direct or clearly ascertainable interest in the subject-matter of the inquiry,

(c) has a perspective that would advance the purposes of the inquiry, which cannot be acquired any other way,

(d) has clearly outlined his or her proposed involvement in the inquiry and the estimated costs to be incurred, and

(e) has provided a written proposal as to how the witness or intervener would account for the financial assistance received.

(3) If the commissioner determines that financial assistance will be provided to a witness or intervener in accordance with the policy under subsection (1),

(a) costs for legal counsel shall only be provided in accordance with the Government of Alberta’s established rates for retaining external legal counsel, and

(b) disbursements shall only be provided in accordance with the Court of Queen’s Bench Costs Manual. [SAY NO THANK YOU, IF IT IS INSUFFICIENT, AND STAY HOME]

(4) The policy referred to in subsection (1) shall be submitted to the Minister for review and approval by July 31, 2019.

(5) If the Minister approves the policy referred to in subsection (1), the commissioner shall publish the policy.

Budget for inquiry

7(1) The total budget for the inquiry shall not exceed $2 500 000.

(2) The following expenses shall be paid out of the budget referred to in subsection (1):

(a) the commissioner’s remuneration;

(b) compensation for the following:

(i) executive support to the commissioner;

(ii) retention of legal staff;

(iii) retention of experts; [frauds in reality?]

(c) travel costs for the commissioner and those identified in clause (b);

(d) financial assistance, if any, provided pursuant to section 6;

(e) other costs associated with the inquiry that are not covered by section 8.

(3) The commissioner shall prepare a detailed budget and submit it to the Minister for review and approval by July 31, 2019.

(4) The commissioner shall put in place a system of budget monitoring and expenditure reporting to the Minister.

(5) The Minister shall fund the inquiry, including the compensation of the commissioner, in accordance with the approved budget.

Administrative support

8(1) In this section, “administrative support” means

(a) provision of office and hearing space;

(b) provision of security services; [Aka Spies and more spies, like EUB’s?]

(c) development and maintenance of a website;

(d) provision of clerks, reporters, researchers and assistants;

(e) provision of services related to bookkeeping and accounting;

(f) provision of social media support; [Fake News? Fake Posts? Fake Tweets?]

(g) provision of communications support;

(h) provision of other services necessary to ensure the effective functioning of the office of the commissioner.

(2) The commissioner may from time to time request administrative support from the Government of Alberta through the Minister if the commissioner considers this appropriate and necessary for the proper conduct of the inquiry.

Other matters

9(1) Subject to sections 7 and 8, the Government of Alberta shall support the commissioner’s work through contracted resources or by Government personnel assigned for that purpose.

(2) Individuals or organizations contracted or assigned pursuant to subsection (1) shall take their directions from the commissioner.

[All items listed in the Terms of Reference will be fascinating to FOIP!]

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