The long awaited Allan report into coordinated foreign funded campaigns against Alberta's natural resource sector was released Thursday morning.
Alberta Minister of Energy Sonya Savage said that Albertans should be outraged by what was discovered in the report, "Albertans should be outraged at the foreign-funded campaigns that targeted our oil and gas sector in an attempt to block development. Alberta’s natural resources belong to Albertans, and decisions about their development should be made by Albertans."
Savage said that the goal of some foreign entities was to landlock Alberta's oil and gas sector with a focus on stopping the expansion of the Alberta oil sands.
According to the report, between 2003 and 2019 $1.28 billion from foreign entities was paid to help landlock the resource sector in Alberta.
Allen stated in the report that some foreign entities celebrated the cancellation and veto of projects.
Minister Savage said during the press conference that the lack of transparency and accountability form some environmental groups is concerning and is calling for more transparency when it comes to foreign money being paid to environmental groups.
Another main finding was that these environmental groups operate with limited transparency and accountability compared with regulated public companies. While industry is highly regulated, closely monitored and must be open and transparent with respect to their financial reporting requirements, many of the same requirements do not exist for not-for-profits or charities.
Savage said, "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."
Tim McMillian the president and CEO of Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) said that the report brings to light the well funded and highly coordinated attacks on the resource sector in the province.
"For years, the energy conversation has been driven by activist organizations who have influenced energy policies that are today contributing to rising energy costs for Canadians, as well as energy shortages for our trading partners around the world," McMillian stated.
Minister Savage said that the Alberta government will take the report and begin work on a number of wide ranging initiatives that align with the commissioner's recommendations.
Also announced during the press conference was a new bill that would be introduced during the fall legislative session by the Minister of Justice banning all foreign money to election advertising (advertising during an election period) and only Canadians to contribute to political advertising (advertising at all other times).