Allan Inquiry report sparks war of words with Alberta’s energy war room

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Alberta’s energy war room has engaged in a war of words with the head of an investigation into foreign funding of anti-energy campaigns.

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In the investigation report released Thursday, Commissioner Steve Allan forcefully said the war room, officially called the Canadian Energy Center (CEC), even though both entities were created by Prime Minister Jason Kenney’s government from a UCP campaign promise to “fight back.” for the energy industry of the province.

In his investigative report, Allan noted that there were several missteps since the war room work began.

“It may well be that the reputation of this entity has been irreparably damaged,” Allan said, although he added that “a vehicle like this” may be necessary, if it is properly governed and accountable.

The CEC has been a target for the opposition NDP and its critics after a series of mistakes, starting with its first logo, which looked almost identical to that of an American software company. In March, the war room launched a campaign against an animated children’s movie about Bigfoot, claiming it unfairly demonized the energy sector.

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Allan’s report also said that the CEC’s governance and credibility is “seriously compromised” by having three provincial cabinet ministers as its board of directors, and that it needed more independence, openness, transparency and accountability.

“In the course of my interviews over the past 18 months, the Canadian Energy Center has come under almost universal criticism,” he wrote.

The center’s executive director, Tom Olsen, responded with a press release Thursday, saying he applauds the report and does not shy away from constructive criticism.

“However, we are disappointed that the commission has not contacted us to better understand the work of the CEC in order to generate broader support through increasingly effective promotional campaigns targeting target audiences in the world. rest of Canada, the United States and around the world. ”Said Olsen.

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“The CEC has long overcome its growing pains, matured and accelerated with an extensive body of research, editorial content and promotional work,” he said, noting that it had amassed 37,000 weekly newsletter subscribers.

At a press conference Thursday on the investigation’s findings, Energy Minister Sonya Savage echoed Olsen in defense of the CEC.

“He’s long overcame some of his initial growing pains,” Savage said, noting that his ad campaign promoting Canadian energy in the US has reached more than 12 million people.

Savage also responded to questions about the opening of the war room, saying financial reports they are reviewed by the auditor general. “There is no lack of transparency there,” Savage said.

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In a statement Friday, Savage said the government has no intention of making significant changes to the CEC and that the auditor general has never expressed concerns about its governance structure, nor has he found problems or concerns about spending.

Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams said Friday that Allan’s criticism was unusual and, while she agrees that having a board made up of three cabinet ministers is problematic, the biggest problem is the damaged reputation of the CCA.

“(Allan’s is) quite a strong statement under the circumstances. If he had come out straight and said, ‘This is a fiasco and you have to dismiss it,’ it would have been more dramatic, but he’s almost saying it here, “Williams said.

Williams said the Alberta government should focus on showing how it is addressing objections from environmentalists rather than vilifying critics with legitimate concerns.

“Neither this government nor the CEC have chosen to go down that path,” Williams said.

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