_{Image screenshot of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s announcement of the Energy War Room from video coverage by CBC Calgary. Those present include Oil Sands Strong founder Robbie Picard and Vivian Krause.}

Canadian Energy Centre

Background

The Canadian Energy Centre (CEC) is an Alberta provincial government corporation formed to promote the province’s fossil fuel industry, in part by fighting what it has described as “domestic and foreign-funded campaigns against Canada’s oil and gas industry.”

At its launch on December 11, 2019, the CEC was referred to as the “Energy War Room.” ¹Mark Villani. “Alberta government officially launches ‘Energy War Room’ in Calgary,” CTV News, December 11, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/GI9i8

“The CEC is a provincial corporation under the financial administration act that will largely be funded by Alberta’s energy industry, through the new Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund,” the Canadian Energy Centre’s CEO and managing director Tom Olsen wrote on the group’s website at launch. “At its core, the CEC’s mandate is to create a new, pragmatic, fact-based narrative about Canadian energy.” ²Tom Olsen. “The Canadian Energy Centre aims to tell Canada’s energy story,” Canadian Energy Centre, December 10, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/14ITW

Initial Incorporation and Funding

The Canadian Energy Centre Ltd. was incorporated as a provincial corporation under the Business Corporations Act of Alberta on October 9, 2019. Its annual report notes that “as a provincial corporation, the Corporation is exempt from income taxes under the Income Tax Act.”³“Annual Report 2021,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

According to the 2019 Alberta Fiscal Plan, over the next four years $80 million Canadian (about USD$60 million) would be set aside for the Canadian Energy Centre out of Alberta’s carbon tax, or Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) program. The fiscal plan document notes that (emphasis added):

“TIER significantly reduces overall compliance costs across regulated facilities, relative to the Carbon Competitiveness Incentive Regulation, while still achieving comparable Greenhouse gas reductions. Over the next four years, revenue from the TIER system is estimated to be $1.9 billion. Of this, $672 million will be allocated to deficit reduction and $80 million supporting the Canadian Energy Centre to respond in real-time to misinformation about Alberta’s energy industry. $1.2 billion will fund emissions reduction and innovation, including $324 million for Carbon Capture and Storage projects and $116 million for the Oil Sands Innovation Fund to continue investment in high emitting in situ facilities to reduce emissions intensity, resulting in improvements to industry competitiveness and increased operational efficiency.”

According to the 2019 Fiscal Plan, the CEC would be allotted C$30 million (about USD$25 million) per year, sourced from different lines on the provicial budget: ⁴“Budget 2019: Fiscal Plan” (PDF), Government of Alberta, October 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

“$10 million of this funding is being reprofiled from the current government advertising budget; and $20 million will be supported by TIER revenues. In addition, $2.5 million is budgeted for the public inquiry into foreign funding of anti-energy campaigns, which was announced in July 2019,” the budget document notes.

The Alberta government describes the TIER program as “Alberta’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions pricing regulation and emissions trading system.”⁵“Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction Regulation,” Government of Alberta. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/q4UkH

Genesis of the CEC

Jason Kenney referenced a “fully staffed rapid response war room in government to quickly and effectively rebut every lie told by the green left about our world-class energy industry” as early as May 9, 2018, in a speech at the founding annual general meeting of the United Conservative Party. “If companies like HSBC decide to boycott our oil sands, our government will boycott them. It’s called a market decision,” Kenney said in his speech.⁶“JASON KENNEY FOUNDING AGM SPEECH,” United Conservative Party, Archived July 7, 2019. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/cM54S

Kenney first announced the “Fight Back Strategy for Alberta’s energy industry” in the summer of 2019.⁷“LIVE with Minister Sonya Savage […],” Facebook, July 4, 2019. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

Oil Sands Strong founder Robbie Picard was introduced in one press briefing by Jason Kenney in Calgary on the emerging war room. Canadian blogger Vivian Krause, who has admitted to receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the energy industry over the years⁸ Emma McIntosh. “Is a foreign-funded campaign the reason for Alberta’s pipeline woes?” The Star, April 16, 2019. Archived April 17, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/y99Lo, can also be seen in the background of the video recorded by CBC Calgary and posted to Facebook:⁹“LIVE: Kenney on Alberta’s energy war room,” CBC Calgary via Facebook, June 7, 2019.

Immunity to Freedom of Information Law

Despite being government-funded, the CEC’s incorporation as a provincial corporation has made it effectively immune to Canada’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP).¹⁰Janet French. “Alberta energy war room immune from freedom of information law, rules adjudicator,” CBC News, March 22, 2022. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/3xYj7

According to a defense of this policy in 2019 by the office of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, “the CEC’s internal operations are not subject to FOIP, as this would provide a tactical and/or strategic advantage to the very foreign-funded special interests the CEC is looking to counter.”¹¹Michelle Bellefontaine. “Alberta energy war room not subject to freedom of information rules,” CBC, October 10, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7h1Xp

Registration as a Foreign Agent in the U.S.

In 2021, the CEC launched an advertising campaign in the U.S. to promote Canadian oil. It was noted in the footer of one of its associated websites, Friendlyenergy.com, that the group is a “registered foreign principal under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA),” a U.S. law requiring persons representing or politically advocating for foreign interests to register with the U.S. Department of Justice. ¹²Homepage, Friendlyenergy.com. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KnjOs

According to the Justice Department website, “the central purpose of FARA is to promote transparency with respect to foreign influence within the United States by ensuring that the United States government and the public know the source of certain information from foreign agents intended to influence American public opinion, policy, and laws, thereby facilitating informed evaluation of that information.”¹³“Foreign Agents Registration Act » FARA Frequently Asked Questions,” The United States Department of Justice. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hRcvb

PressProgress reported that the Canadian Energy Centre Ltd. registered under the FARA law in late summer 2021,¹⁴“Jason Kenney’s Energy War Room Has Declared Itself a ‘Foreign Agent’ to American Authorities,” PressProgress, November 1, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MqSmK according to Justice Department documents.¹⁵“Exhibit A to Registration Statement Washington, dc 20530 Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended” (PDF), U.S. Department of Justice, September 1, 2021.

Another registration document noted the CEC’s intention to “Influence American public opinion with respect to the Canadian oil and gas industry” (emphasis added).¹⁶“Short Form Registration Statement,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 18, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

In its registration document, the CEC described the nature of its business as follows:¹⁷“Exhibit A to Registration Statement Washington, dc 20530 Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended” (PDF), U.S. Department of Justice, September 1, 2021.

“The Canadian Energy Centre (CEC) is an independent corporation established and supported by the provincial government of Alberta. The mission of the CEC is to advance Canada as the supplier of choice for the world’s growing demand for responsibly produced energy.”

The registration also outlined the CEC’s organizational structure as follows:

“The CEC is managed by a CEO, who also serves as Managing Director. It is supervised by a Board
of Directors. The Board is made up of three cabinet ministers from the Alberta government. Financial support
for the CEC is provided by the Technology, Innovation and Emissions Reduction Fund (TIER), created by the
Government of Alberta. The sole shareholder of the CEC is the Government of Alberta. The Government of
Alberta does not supervise, direct or control the daily operations of the CEC.”

CEC Inquiry into “Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns”

The CEC’s initial $30 million campaign included funding of C$2.5 million, which would later increase to C$3.5 million, to “inquire into anti-Alberta energy campaigns that are supported by foreign organizations.” The campaign was led by forensic accountant Steve Allan.

A government of Alberta webpage alleges the following in its overview of the inquiry:¹⁸“Public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns,” Government of Alberta. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/p5Kwn

“For over a decade, an alleged, well-funded foreign campaign has defamed Alberta’s energy industry and sought to landlock our natural resources. The reputational harm to the province’s energy sector has limited government and industry revenue, and cost Albertans and Canadians thousands of jobs.

“The government launched a public inquiry, under the Public Inquiries Act, into the existence of this anti-Alberta energy campaign and the foreign sources of funds behind it.”

Some news outlets have reported that the idea for inquiry stemmed from Canadian blogger Vivian Krause, whose research and source materials were included in the report. Krause, who has admitted to receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the energy industry over the years,¹⁹ Emma McIntosh. “Is a foreign-funded campaign the reason for Alberta’s pipeline woes?” The Star, April 16, 2019. Archived April 17, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/y99Lo tweeted that she expected to be paid about C$30,000 plus C$10,000 in expenses for her part in the inquiry. ²⁰“Hi Jason,I’ll answer any fair questions from anybody. How much have I been paid by The Inquiry? That’s a fair question. […]“Tweet by user “@FairQuestions,” July 21, 2021. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.

Documents created by the inquiry included Allan’s findings and three commissioned reports:

• “Public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns” (“Allan Report“- final report)
• “Background Report on Changes in the Organization and Ideology of Philanthropic Foundations with a Focus on Environmental Issues as Reflected in Contemporary Social Science Research,” by Barry Cooper (“Cooper Report“)
• “A New Global Paradigm: Understanding the Transnational Progressive Movement, the Energy Transition and the Great Transformation Strangling Alberta’s Petroleum Industry,” by T.L. Nemeth (“Nemeth Report“)
• “Foreign Funding Targeting Canada’s Energy Sector,” by Energy in Depth (“Energy in Depth Report“)

In a 2021 post on the University of Calgary Faculty of Law blog, law professor Martin Olszysnki reviewed the commissioned reports and described them as “textbook climate denialism.”

“My general assessment is that by and large the Commissioned Reports are textbook examples of climate change denialism. All of them minimize or outright dismiss the reality and seriousness of climate change, even though none of their authors appear to be trained in climate science [at the time of writing, I did not have access to Dr. Nemeth’s c.v., but its recent receipt confirms this gap],” Olszysnki wrote. ²¹Martin Olszynski. “Textbook Climate Denialism: A Submission to the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns” (PDF), ABlawg, January 14, 2021. Archived March 24, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.

The Globe and Mail reported on a leaked draft of Allan’s final report in which Allan found no wrongdoing on the part of environmental groups. “I wish to be clear that I do not find that participation in an anti-Alberta energy campaign is in any way improper or constitutes conduct that should be in any way impugned,” Allan wrote.²²“Draft of Alberta inquiry report critical of environmental groups, but says nothing improper about anti-oil campaigns,” The Globe and Mail, July 23, 2021. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/W2qP7 This statement also appeared in the final report.²³“Report of the public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns” (PDF), AlbertaInquiry.ca, July 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

“No individual or organization, in my view, has done anything illegal. Indeed, they have exercised their rights of free speech,” the report said, as reported by The Edmonton Journal.²⁴Lisa Johnson. “No evidence of wrongdoing found in Allan inquiry report into ‘anti-Alberta’ campaigns,” Edmonton Journal, October 22, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/EvILN

“While anti-Alberta energy campaigns may have played a role in the cancellation of some oil and gas developments, I am not in a position to find that these campaigns alone caused project delays or cancellations,” Allan wrote.

Allan also noted²⁵Lisa Johnson. “Allan inquiry’s report triggers war of words with Alberta’s energy war room,” Edmonton Journal, October 22, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YsLMB in the report that, in the course of his interviews over the prior 18 months, “the Canadian Energy Centre has come under almost universal criticism.”

“There may be a need for a vehicle such as this, assuming proper governance and accountability is established, to develop a communications/marketing strategy for the industry and/or the province, but it may well be that the reputation of this entity has been damaged beyond repair. In any event, it is critical that a comprehensive marketing strategy be developed, using the best marketing/communications advice that can be obtained, to develop a long-term rebranding campaign for the industry, that will also serve to change the image of our province,” Allan wrote in the report.²⁶“Report of the public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns” (PDF), AlbertaInquiry.ca, July 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Vivian Krause wrote an op-ed in the Calgary Herald critical of the inquiry’s finding, suggesting “Giving environmental groups exactly what they wanted, Allan found no misconduct, nothing to impugn. In fact, his report praises [Canadian environmental activist] Tzeporah Berman, finding her autobiography ‘particularly useful.'”²⁷“Vivian Krause: Allan report gave environmental groups exactly what they wanted,” Calgary Herald, October 30, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/vXPN0

“What the commissioner, who says he is not allowed to comment further, provided was his personal opinion, not a professional legal analysis,” she wrote. “When Kenney and the UCP won, I was hoping for a lawsuit. I want to see the Rockefellers in a Calgary courthouse, explaining why they put the boots to Alberta but not Texas.”

The CEC responded to the criticism:²⁸“Canadian Energy Centre CEO Tom Olsen responds to recommendations in the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns,” Canadian Energy Centre, October 21, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/9CJHs

“The findings and our experience over the past 20 months have shown that the CEC and our allies need to be more coordinated to counter the egregious falsehoods routinely put forward by anti-oil and gas activists.

“The CEC doesn’t shy away from constructive criticism and we are committed to continuous improvement. We are, however, disappointed the commission did not contact us to gain better insight into the work of the CEC to build wide-ranging support through increasingly effective advocacy campaigns directed at target audiences in the rest of Canada, the U.S. and across the globe. […]”

After commissioner Steve Allan’s report found nothing illegal on the part of environmental groups, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney told reporters:²⁹“Strengthening Alberta’s workforce,” YouTube video uploaded by user “YourAlberta,” October 25, 2021. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

“In the end, there was no illegal activity found. There was no attempt to find any misinformation. And in fact what it found was all they were doing was doing their free speech rights. Nothing was wrong.”

In response to a reporter’s question about what the public had gotten for the C$3.5 million spent, Kenney responded,

“There’s a difference between illegal and wrong. There are a lot of wrong things that may be legal. And I think it’s wrong, it’s wrong for billionaire foreign foundations to gang up on our economy. And their campaign killed pipelines. Their campaign led to the loss of tens of thousands of energy jobs in this province. I think that’s wrong.”

Links of Commissioned Report Authors to Climate Denial Groups or Figures

The commissioned reports resulted from the inquiry’s invitation³⁰“Engagement Process,” Public Inquiry: Anti-Energy Campaigns. Archived December 3, 2020. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/vBzNs to 47 people or organizations to act as a “participant for commentary.“³¹“Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns: Rules for Procedure and Practice” (PDF), AlbertaInquiry.ca, September 14, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

As reported by the CBC, the author of one of these reports, University of Calgary Professor Barry Cooper, had previously funneled money through the university to a climate denial group:³²Jennie Russell and Charles Rusnell. “Critics denounce ‘climate-change denialism’ reports commissioned by Alberta inquiry,” CBC, January 14, 2021. Archived March 24, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Zg4rX

“In 2008, the Globe and Mail reported that a university audit had revealed Cooper was in charge of two research accounts that were used to funnel money to the Friends of Science, a controversial organization that had ties to the federal Conservative party and calls human-caused climate change a ‘myth’,” the CBC reported.

In his report to the CEC inquiry, Cooper “falsely referred to ‘the growing scientific skepticism regarding the so-called consensus view regarding anthropogenic climate change,’ when in fact scientific consensus on the cause of climate change has been growing.”

Another CEC-commissioned report by Tammy Nemeth claimed a “transnational progressive movement” was attempting to overthrow “modern western industrial capitalist society.”

“The foot soldiers, the shock troops, of the larger movement,” Nemeth wrote, were environmentalist non-government organizations, “or watermelons, as James Delingpole has coined — green on the outside, red (socialist) on the inside.”

The CBC reported that “[Steve] Allan paid Nemeth, a home-school teacher in England, nearly $28,000 for the report.”

The CEC also commissioned a report from Energy in Depth, a program launched by the the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and the “independent global business advisory firm” FTI Consulting.

“Energy producers and anti-energy activists are engaging on an uneven playing-field,” Energy in Depth claimed in the report’s conclusion. “The energy industry is among the most highly-regulated and heavily scrutinized in the world. Activists and their supporters, meanwhile, are largely given a free pass by the media.

Criticism of the CEC

While working on the inquiry, commissioner Steve Allan granted a sole-source contract for legal advice related to the inquiry to the Calgary law firm Dentons LLP, where his son Toby is a partner. “The contract was issued 11 days after Allan was named by Premier Jason Kenney to head the $2.5 million Public Inquiry Into Funding of Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns,” CBC News reported.³³Charles Rusnell and Jennie Russell. “Inquiry commissioner Steve Allan handed $905K sole-source contract to son’s law firm,” CBC, November 14, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Cgbdv

“I think it’s a clear conflict of interest,” said Duff Conacher, co-founder of Ottawa-based Democracy Watch. “Whether any code (of conduct) applies to Steve Allan, or even if his son doesn’t financially profit from it, it is his son’s company and it is a clear conflict of interest, and (the commissioner) should not have taken part in any decision to hand a contract to Dentons,” said Conacher. The contract would pay Dentons $905,000.

According to reporting by The Globe and Mail, critics slammed Allan for sending materials biased against climate science along with requests for comment on the reports, including the books False Alarm: How Climate Change Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor. ³⁴Emma Graney. “Critics decry reading list issued by Alberta’s energy inquiry commissioner as climate change denial,” The Globe and Mail, January 14, 2021. Archived March 24, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KC1Vp

The CEC has faced other criticism for a variety of issues, including its lack of transparency, initial use of a logo already owned by an American tech company, a campaign against the Netflix cartoon Bigfoot Family, and CEC staff referring to themselves as reporters while speaking with sources.³⁵Joel Dryden. “Alberta’s energy war room says animated Netflix film is ‘full of lies’ about oil industry,” CBC News, March 12, 2021. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/tG5bdIt has also been criticized for the tone of its posts on social media.³⁶Brodie Thomas. “Canadian Energy Centre head apologizes for tone of tweets,” Calgary Herald, February 12, 2020. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/UqYO8 ³⁷“Alberta energy ‘war room’ chief apologizes for tweets attacking New York Times,” The Globe and Mail, February 12, 2020. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/fcUDI

In 2020, the CEC came under fire in an auditor general’s annual report for awarding sole-source contracts without adequate justification.

In 2021, the provincial privacy commissioner of Alberta investigated whether the CEC had “collected, used or disclosed personal information in contravention of section 36(2)(e) of the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).” The investigation was prompted by a complaint that the CEC had shared personal information with One Persuasion Inc., a lobbying company co-founded by Hamish Marshall. Marshall had been campaign manager for the Conservative Party’s 2019 federal election campaign.³⁸Jordan Kanygin. “Alberta’s privacy commissioner investigating energy war room’s use of personal information,” CTC News Calgary, August 16, 2021. Archived March 24, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Vsolw

CEC Connection to Duckworth & Palmer LLP

The Canadian Energy Centre’s registered office address corresponds to Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP — the same law firm listed for Cody Battershill’s Canada Action Coalition Ltd.³⁹“Federal Corporation Information – 891577-6,” Government of Canada. Accessed March 24, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

The CBC has reported that the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Canada Action, and Debunk Inc. – groups that have defended the Canadian oil and gas industry – as well as various Koch Industries subsidiaries, were all incorporated by CEC Connection to Duckworth & Palmer.

View additional federal⁴⁰Data retrieved from opencorpdata. Search performed March 25, 2022. Data on file at DeSmog.and provincial⁴¹Data retrieved from Alberta Corporations. Search performed March 25, 2022. Data on file at DeSmog. incorporation records below:

Stance on Climate Change

December 10, 2019

A release on the CEC website announcing the group’s launch stated,⁴²Tom Olsen. “The Canadian Energy Centre aims to tell Canada’s energy story,” Canadian Energy Centre, December 10, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/14ITW

“We believe that the climate is changing, that human activity is contributing, and that we all need to do better.

“There’s no question we want lower greenhouse gas emissions, as well as clean water, air and land. We support the growth of renewable energy, as well. It’s all part of a larger solution.

“But we don’t believe that shutting down the modern industrial economy through an abrupt shift away from fossil fuels makes any sense.”

“All that would do is make it more difficult and expensive for people to live their lives and prevent those in developing countries from enjoying benefits that come from affordable, accessible energy.

“Yet that’s what domestic and foreign-funded campaigns against Canada’s oil and gas industry are advocating.”

Funding

According to its website, “the Canadian Energy Centre’s mandate is to promote Canada as the supplier of choice for the world’s growing demand for responsibly produced energy. It is an independent provincial corporation that is primarily supported by the Government of Alberta’s industry-funded Technology, Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund.”⁴³“About Us,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/WaonP

The Alberta government describes the TIER fund as “Alberta’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions pricing regulation and emissions trading system.”⁴⁴“Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction Regulation,” Government of Alberta. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/q4UkH

Mark Milke’s byline at the Financial Post described CEC as “an Alberta government corporation partly funded by industry.”⁴⁵Mark Milke. “Yes, Virginia, Canada needs more pipelines,” Financial Post, December 19, 2019. Archived March 25, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/B8l5M

Annual Reports

Key Documents

“Anti-Alberta” Inquiry Reports

Key People

Directors

According to a corporate records search by DeSmog of the CEC:

Sonya Savage

Sonya Savage, Alberta’s Minister of Energy, formerly worked as the senior director of policy and regulatory affairs for the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association. At the CEPA, Savage “handled the pipeline industry’s large policy files, including regulatory reform, Indigenous reconciliation, legal, environment and climate change.”⁴⁶“Minister of Energy,” Government of Alberta. Archived March 25, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/N5HFH

Prior to this, Savage worked for more than nine years in government relations for the Canada-based pipeline firm Enbridge, where she worked on “successful strategies to support the Northern Gateway Pipeline through the NEB process and Cabinet approval, Line 9 Reversal, Alberta Clipper and other projects,” according to her LinkedIn profile, as well as “[initiating] a new ‘thought leadership program’ to leverage the policy agenda of think tanks and academic institutions.”⁴⁷“Sonya Savage,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Jason Nixon

Jason Nixon was appointed Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Parks and House Leader on April 30, 2019. According to his biography, one of his tasks is to “work with the Premier in developing the Carbon Tax Repeal Act.” He formerly served as the Official Opposition House Leader, appointed by Jason Kenney in October 2017.⁴⁸“Minister of Environment and Parks,” Government of Alberta. Archived March 25, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/BEIoO

Kaycee Madu

Formerly Alberta’s Justice Minister, Kaycee Madu became Minister of Labour and Immigration. The changed role followed an investigation into whether Madu had attempted to interfere with the administration of justice following receipt of a distracted driving ticket on March 10, 2021.⁴⁹Stephen David Cook. “Madu out as justice minister after investigation found he tried to interfere with administration of justice,” CBC News, February 25, 2022. Archived March 25, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/QwV9M

Doug Schweitzer

Doug Schweitzer was appointed Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation (formerly Economic Development, Trade and Tourism) on August 25, 2020.⁵⁰“Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation,” Government of Alberta. Archived March 25, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/0gNII

He formerly worked at a lawyer at the law firm of Dentons, and prior to that Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and Bennett Jones LLP. Schweitzer was also CEO of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 2008 to 2009.⁵¹“Doug Schweitzer,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Staff & Management

The people below have been listed as staff or management on the CEC website:⁵²“About Us,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/p1Rml ⁵³“About Us,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived June 8, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oEHOc ⁵⁴“About Us,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived June 9, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7NSmn ⁵⁵“About Us,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived December 11, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/VRCTF

Lennie Kaplan

Lennie Kaplan is a former lobbyist at GPC International ,where he lobbied the federal government on behalf of Williams Energy regarding “permitting of the Georgia Straight Crossing Project.”⁵⁶“WILLIAMS ENERGY / LENNIE KAPLAN, Consultant,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived March 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/egvah In May 2019, Kaplan was awarded a $63,000 sole-source contract by the UCP government’s Treasury Board on Finance Department, for “Executive Support to the MacKinnon Panel.”⁵⁷“Sole-source contracts disclosure table,” Government of Alberta. Archived .csv version on file at DeSmog.

Mike Simpson

Formerly “government and industry relations supervisor” for “corporate and strategic marketing communications” at Devon Energy, Simpson went on to work as public affairs officer at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL) after the company bought out Devon Energy. He worked at CNRL as recently as January 2020.⁵⁸“Mike Simpson,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Tom Olsen

Tom Olson formerly worked in public affairs with Tom Olsen Public Affairs/McMillan Vantage Policy Group. He was formerly a political columnist at the Calgary Herald and Alberta Legislature Bureau Chief for both the Herald and the Edmonton Journal. Olson served as director of media relations at the Alberta Premier’s Office under Ed Stelmach.⁵⁹“About Tom Olsen,” Tom Olsen Public Affairs. Archived March 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KlP7r

According to his LinkedIn:

“Tom Olsen has spent the last 28 years working in the related worlds of the media, government, and government relations. For 20 years he worked as a journalist and senior editor at daily newspapers in Calgary and Edmonton, providing input and direction to reporters, editing copy, and determining editorial direction. He provided communications counsel and strategic advice to the Alberta Premier and Cabinet. He has been a regular TV and radio commentator on government policy and direction, provides media relations training to some of the largest organizations in Alberta, and has provided ongoing direction to clients seeking to navigate the world of government policy development and decision-making.”

Mark Milke

Mark Milke has worked with a range of think tanks including the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, where he served as Alberta and later British Columbia director. According to his LinkedIn, he was the principal policy advisor to Jason Kenney and a “lead ‘architect’ of policy process and 2019 platform.”⁶⁰“Mark Milke, Ph.D.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.

Milke is also co-founder and senior fellow of SecondStreet.org, a member of the Atlas Network, and with staff that largely overlaps with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.⁶¹David J. Climenhaga. “Prominent funder of right-wing groups helps bankroll new think-tank,” Rabble.ca, January 7, 2019. Archived March 10, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/l6nek

He was also research director for the climate change denial group, the Frontier Center for Public Policy (FCPP). He was a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute from 2010 to 2015 and is past president of Civitas. He has had papers published by a range of industry-funded conservative think tanks in the US such as the American Enterprise Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the Montreal Economic Institute, and others.⁶²“Mark Milke,” Fraser Institute. Archived March 10, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oOURw

Brittany Elves

Brittany Elves is a former project coordinator at iSolutions Inc. where she worked on “Market Opportunities Analysis” in the Canadian oil and gas sector. While at iSolutions, she worked on a subcontract for Cenovus Energy. She also held positions at the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) before joining the Canadian Energy Centre as a content producer.⁶³“Brittany Elves,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Deborah Jaremko

Deborah Jaremko worked for over 16 years with JWN Energy, including editorial positions with its various oil and gas sections such as Oil & Gas Inquirer, Oilweek, Oilsands Review, and the Daily Oil Bulletin. Prior to these roles, she was a staff writer with Suncor Energy in Calgary.⁶⁴“Deborah Jaremko,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Kim McKylor

Kim McKylor previously held positions with FortisAlberta, Metafore at EnCana, and Talisman Energy. She was most recently a councillor for Rock View County before joining the CEC at operations administrator in December 2021.⁶⁵“Kim McKylor,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Shawn Logan

Shawn Logan was a reporter at Postmedia Network before joining the CEC.⁶⁶“Shawn Logan,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Tamara Rosenblum

Tamara Rosenblum is strategist and chief marketing officer at Tamara Rosenblum Consulting, where she is a “contractor for various industries including Cannabis, software, hospitality and real estate.” She was formerly the president, lead strategist, and creative director at Mantaray Creative.⁶⁷“Tamara Rosenblum,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Ven Venkatachalam

Ven Venkatachalam has co-authored a number of articles with Jack Mintz at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy.⁶⁸“Venkatachalam, Balaj,”University of Calgary: The School of Public Policy. Archived March 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/QOTiO

Mintz is the Palmer Chair in Public Policy at the University of Calgary. He also serves on the board of Imperial Oil Limited and Morneau Shepell. The following is Venkatachalam’s bio from a paper he co-authored with Mintz in May 2015:⁶⁹“THE PROBLEM WITH THE LOW-TAX BACKLASH: RETHINKING CORPORATE TAX POLICIES TO ADJUST FOR UNEVEN REPUTATIONAL RISKS” (PDF), SPP Research Papers (University of Calgary School of Public Policy), Vol. 8 Issue 24 (May 2015). Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

“V. Balaji Venkatachalam, (PhD) is a Research Associate at The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary and
specializes in corporate tax, economic growth and the banking sector. He is also a graduate of the Master of Public
Policy program at The School of Public Policy. Prior to joining The School, he worked on academic and research
assignments for various organizations in Asia, Europe and America.”

Joanne Birce

Joanne Birce was the former constituency assistant to Conservative MP Ron Liepert. She is on the board of directors of the Calgary Bow UCP Association and the Calgary Signal Hill Conservative Association. After leaving the CEC in December 2021 she went on to work as regional organizer for the Conservative Party of Canada.⁷⁰“Joanne Remillard Birce,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

David Chidley

Former senior photographer for The Calgary Sun and later The London Free Press, David Chidley worked with CEC as visual communications coordinator from January 2020 to January 2022. He is a contract photographer for The Canadian Press and owner/operator of Dave Chidley Photography.⁷¹“David Chidley,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Grady Semmens

Before joining the CEC as director of content and external relations in November 2019, Grady Semmens worked with TC Energy for more than seven years in various roles, including manager for corporate communications and sustainability reporting. He was a staff reporter at the Calgary Herald from 1999 to 2005. After leaving the CEC he moved to Alberta Health Services to work as director of communications and engagement.⁷²“Grady Semmens, MBA,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Gregory John

Gregory John is president of the consulting firm Four Peaks Business Development Ltd., and also heads Unimaize Technologies Inc. According to a bio at the University of Calgary, John “has worked on some of the most important energy projects in Canada today, but also has been able to advocate globally for community and industry.”⁷³“Gregory John,” University of Calgary. Archived March 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/6XcJx

According to his speaker profile at the Global Energy Show, John “has worked as an advocate for Indigenous equity ownership in energy and worked on some of the most important projects in Canadian energy today including Keystone XL, TransMountain Expansion, and Coastal Gaslink Pipeline.” He is a citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta. He has been a regular speaker advocating for the Canadian hydrocarbon industry.⁷⁴“GREGORY JOHN,” Global Energy Show. Archived March 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/FP0rv

Claudia Cattaneo

Claudia Cattaneo has been a member of the Calgary chapter⁷⁵“MEMBER NEWS BYTES FROM CHAPTERS ACROSS CANADA!” Independent Women’s Forum: Calgary-Canada. Archived March 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/NENfM of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), a Koch-connected conservative U.S. entity that has opposed carbon taxes. According to her LinkedIn, “Claudia led development of the strategy, and participated in the startup, of the Canadian Energy Centre, a new provincial corporation dedicated to raising understanding of the value of Canada’s energy sector,” and “worked as a journalist at some of Canada’s largest daily newspapers for nearly 40 years”⁷⁶“Claudia Cattaneo,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Sophie Gaussiran-Racine

Sophie Gaussiran-Racine is a freelance public relations specialist. She previously worked at the Embassy of Canada in the Netherlands. She worked on the advisory council to the Shell Expatriate Support Network. She has held various positions in communications at multinational mining corporation Rio Tinto since 2021.⁷⁷“Sophie Gaussiran-Racine MBA,” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Her LinkedIn does not mention her work as a content producer and researcher with the Canadian Energy Centre, however she did appear on their December 2019 staff list.⁷⁸“About Us,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived December 11, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/VRCTF

Actions

December 13, 2022

CEC ran an ad in the New York Times portraying Canada as the solution to energy security.
“Energy security. Right next door. Canada is the solution” the headline of the ad read, followed by the following text:⁷⁹“Energy Security. Right Next Door. Canada is the Solution.” Ad in New York Times, December 13, 2022. Archived .jpeg on file at DeSmog.

“Rising demand for oil and gas is matched only by the rising challenge of securing it. Global events have made that clear. The world is looking for reliable energy leadership and a way forward that includes renewables in the energy mix. Canada is up to the task. A joint commitment from our industry’s six biggest oilsands producers to reach net zero by 2050 is only one step. Cutting emissions intensity by 22% over the last decade is another. With responsible production, and innovations in cleantech and carbon capture, Canada is walking the walk toward a secure, mixed energy future. CanadaIsTheSolution.Com“

According to an October, 2022 FARA filing, CEC had disbursed $1,921,097 for digital advertising placement and another $2,017,760 for print advertising, for a total of $3,938,856 in the period of March 18, 2022 to September 30, 2022.⁸⁰Supplemental Statement for 6 month period ending September 30, 2022 for registrant DDB Canada (Registration number 7099). Retrieved from efile.fara.gove. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

The print advertising payment was earmarked for ads in various publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, “Housston [sic] Chronicle,” Chicago Tribune, Financial Times, Gannett Media, Hatch 64, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union, Boston Globe, and The Hill.⁸¹Supplemental Statement for 6 month period ending September 30, 2022 for registrant DDB Canada (Registration number 7099). Retrieved from efile.fara.gove. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

The FARA filing also listed a $120,000 payment to Counterpoint Strategies “for communication consultancy services.⁸²“Supplemental Statement for 6 month period ending September 30, 2022 for registrant DDB Canada (Registration number 7099). Retrieved from efile.fara.gove. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

March 23, 2022

The CEC launched a petition to counter a campaign titled “No More Dirty Banks,” which called on Royal Bank to pull its financial support for the Coastal GasLink pipeline.⁸³“TELL RBC TO LISTEN TO CANADIANS NOT CELEBRITIES,” Supportcanadianenergy.ca. Archived March 24, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/XN9Zn

“It’s time to stand up to these uninformed activists with their phoney allegations, exaggerations and drive-by smears of Canadian energy,” the CEC’s Support Canadian Energy website read.

March 20, 2022

Sonya Savage, Alberta’s minister of energy and a CEC board member, was interviewed on Full Measure discussing her “campaign to put her country’s oil resources at the disposal of the United States.”⁸⁴“Alberta Oil,” Full Measure, March 20, 2022. Archived March 25, 2022. Archived video on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/zBvon

“Right now we have the ability to supply an additional two to 400,000 barrels a day of oil,” Savage said. “That increase in production could more than offset what we had been buying from Russia — until earlier this month.”

March 14, 2022

The CEC released a report claiming “oil and gas will continue to play a major role in the global economy through 2050.”⁸⁵Lennie Kaplan. “Oil and gas will continue to play a major role in the global economy through 2050,” Canadian Energy Centre, March 14, 2022. Archived March 26, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/GkIvR

“In light of the issues with the transition to net zero, the need for stable energy provided by oil and natural gas is critical to a global economy whose population is set to grow by another 2 billion people by 2050, with rising incomes pushing up demand for oil and natural gas in many emerging and developing economies in Africa, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America, where countries are dealing with increased urbanization and industrialization,” the CEC’s report announcement concluded.

The report was compiled by the CEC’s executive director of research, Lennie Kaplan. The report notes, that Kaplan “and the Canadian Energy Centre would like to thank and acknowledge the assistance of Dennis Sundgaard in reviewing the original data and research for this Fact Sheet.” Sundgaard is a former senior project manager for the Athabasca Oil Sands Corporation and went on to run Sundgaard & Associates.⁸⁶“Dennis Sundgaard, P.Eng.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

The CEC’s executive director of operations, Mike Simpson, went on Mario Toneguzzi’s Taking Care of Business program to discuss the report.⁸⁷“Oil And Gas To Play Major Role In Global Economy Through To 2050.” YouTube video uploaded by user “Mario Toneguszzi.” Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

September 27, 2021

The CEC launched an “awareness campaign” in the U.S., including a website called “Friendly Energy,” to promote Canadian oil in the United States. The campaign included $240,000 in spending on billboards in Times Square and other “high-profile locations in New York City and Washington D.C.”⁸⁸“Campaign asks Americans to choose Canada first for oil imports Billboards in Times Square, strategic U.S. markets tout benefits of Canadian energy,” Canadian Energy Centre, September 27, 2021. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/JgKzT

The CEC wrote that the campaign would feature a “grassroots component”:

“The outdoor and online campaign will direct people to information about Canada’s responsible energy development at www.friendlyenergy.com. The campaign will also feature a grassroots component that calls on Canadians and Americans to respectfully advocate to the president and U.S. lawmakers about the benefits of Canadian energy.”

“We want to give our American friends the information they need to urge their leaders to look to safe, responsible and increasingly less intensive crude from Canada that U.S. refiners need and that will help keep gas prices down,” said Canadian Energy Centre CEO Tom Olsen.

The CEC outlined details of the billboard campaign as follows:

• “Two digital billboards in Times Square for a four-week period and online display campaign promoting Canada as the responsible and reliable energy provider for the U.S.”
• “A static digital billboard, located in Astor on New York’s Grand Central Parkway, for a two-week period targeting traffic heading to LaGuardia Airport, the Mets Citi Field Stadium and a ‘chokepoint’ for traffic to Queens.”
• “Three full-motion digital billboards for a two-week period on the exterior of the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., home of the NBA’s Washington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Capitals and the NCAA’s Georgetown Hoyas.”

As reported at PressProgress, according to records at the U.S. Department of Justice, the CEC registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act where it described its “political activity” as follows:⁸⁹“Jason Kenney’s Energy War Room Has Declared Itself a ‘Foreign Agent’ to American Authorities,” PressProgress, November 1, 2021. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MqSmK

“Influence American public opinion with respect to the Canadian oil and gas industry.”

The Canadian Energy Centre has also launched a website, Canadaisthesolution.com, which claims “Canada is the solution for America’s energy security.”⁹⁰“Canada is the solution for America’s energy security.” Canadaisthesolution.com. Archived March 24, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Ib0h4

“Canada should be the preferred choice for energy supply to the United States. If not Canada, who are you entrusting your country’s energy security to?” The website reads.

The website footer suggests the material was “distributed by DDB Canada,” — the advertising agency listed as the primary registrant in one set of the CEC’s Foreign Agents registration form.

“This material is distributed by DDB Canada on behalf of Canadian Energy Centre Ltd. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.” is noted in the canadaisthesolution.com website footer.

According to WHOIS data, Canadaisthesolution.com was registered on October 25, 2021. ⁹¹Domain Whois record for www.canadaisthesolution.com. CentralOPS.net. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

CEC also released print ads, including one in the The Washington Post, as part of the campaign to promote Canadian oil and gas in the US:

Oh, Canada… (in the Washington Post print edition this morning) pic.twitter.com/20teMiFFsq

— Ana Unruh Cohen (@anaunruhcohen) March 23, 2022

“Look North for Energy Security” ads in the March 23 and March 29, 2022 print edition of The Washington Post

March 2021

The Canadian Energy Centre faced criticism after it accused the Netflix cartoon Bigfoot Family of “brainwashing” kids with “anti-oil and gas propaganda.”⁹²Bill Kaufmann. “UCP’s ‘war room’ takes on Netflix, claims anti-oil Bigfoot Family is ‘brainwashing’ kids‘,” Edmonton Journal, March 12, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2kGK1

“Our children are the key to the future — but they can’t succeed if they’re filled with misinformation … brainwashing our kids with anti-oil and gas propaganda is just wrong — and Netflix needs to know that,” stated a page on the Support Canadian Energy website (a “project” of the CEC).⁹³“TELL THE TRUTH NETFLIX!“Support Canadian Energy. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ICPSn

The CEC said Bigfoot Family was “full of lies and misinformation” in an email sent to subscribers.

The ad included a paid advertising campaign on Facebook directing users to the CEC website, where it called on readers to sign the following pre-generated petition to Lindsey Scully, Netflix’s head of communications.

Andrew Leach, a University of Alberta energy and environmental economist, ridiculed the campaign on Twitter:

“Canadian oil and gas boosters are so insecure that they’re worried that a show about Bigfoot might be mistaken for a documentary? Honestly, it’s a show about A BIGFOOT FAMILY and you’re concerned that people might imagine that it’s otherwise completely accurate?” he tweeted.

NDP energy critic Kathleen Ganley also responded:

“It’s a bit of an idiotic use of taxpayer money,” she said. “Decisions are made by adult investors and I don’t think this movie does much for them.

“(The war room) has never gotten away from being a maximum embarrassment,” wrote Bill Kaufman in the Edmonton Journal in response to the campaign. ⁹⁴Bill Kaufmann. “UCP’s ‘war room’ takes on Netflix, claims anti-oil Bigfoot Family is ‘brainwashing’ kids‘,” Edmonton Journal, March 12, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2kGK1

Jared Wesley, an associate professor of political science at the University of Alberta, told the CBC that the Canadian Energy Centre’s tactics might not have the desired effect:

“It may actually end up drawing negative reaction from people who are in the middle on this issue and need to be persuaded of a different view on the oilsands.”

Andrew Leach, an associate professor in the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta, commented that the images the CEC took issue with in the movie were not actually that far from reality at one time:

“The specific thing they took issue with was the idea that it’s unfathomable that there would be a secret campaign to use a bomb to blow up a mountain to flood a valley to fill it with oil,” Leach said.

“That was actually pretty darn close to what was once proposed for the oilsands.”

March 2021

The CEC listed one of its initiatives as a campaign that “drove thousands of our supporters to sign an official House of Commons petition in support of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, which had its permit revoked by Michigan’s governor.”

“Thanks in part to CEC supporters, the official petition surpassed 10,000 signatures,” the CEC noted in its 2021 annual report.⁹⁵“Annual Report 2021,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

The CEC summarized its activities in the prior year:⁹⁶“Annual Report 2021,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

“Over the last year the content team published approximately 125 articles including 29 on environmental performance and technological innovation, 25 on Indigenous benefits and opportunities, 22 on the sector’s economic contributions (particularly in the recovery from COVID-19), 21 on Canada’s role in global oil and gas markets, and 18 Matter of Fact pieces responding to misinformation.”

December 2019

Then-director of research Mark Milke wrote an op-ed in the Financial Post suggesting tha “Canada needs more pipelines.”⁹⁷Mark Milke. “Yes, Virginia, Canada needs more pipelines,” Financial Post, December 19, 2019. Archived March 25, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/B8l5M

“Canada’s main competitor for energy investment, the United States, has barrelled ahead with pipeline construction,” Milke wrote.

He cited work by retired geography professor Vaclav Smil argue against renewables:

“[R]esearch from Vaclav Smil, emeritus professor in the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Environment, is a useful guide,” Milke wrote. “[T]he energy density of alternative energy sources will not rival that of today’s energy-dense fossil fuels any time soon.”

“Those who argue that future demand scenarios do not justify further pipeline construction in Canada are throwing up a diversion: It is not up to activists, governments or regulators to approve or deny a pipeline based on demand estimates,” Milke added.

Related Organizations

• Friendlyenergy.com
• Supportcanadianenergy.ca — Project of the CEC
• Canadaisthesolution.com — A website “distributed by DDB Canada on behalf of Canadian Energy Centre Ltd.,” according to its footer.⁹⁸“Canada is the solution for America’s energy security.” Canadaisthesolution.com. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Ib0h4

CEC Companies & Contractors

A November 2020 Auditor General report noted that the “CEC relies upon contractors to perform many of its main business activities. This includes activities like website design and development, story-writing, custom photography, media awareness campaigns, as well as the provision of services for supporting corporate functions, such as accounting and information technology. During the CEC’s first fiscal period ended March 31, 2020, external contractors accounted for about $1.3 million of the organization’s $2 million of operating expenses.”⁹⁹“Alberta Energy” (PDF), Auditor General of Alberta, November 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

The report included recommendations to “improve contract management processes” by “designing and implementing controls to ensure contracts are valid, supported, and appropriately approved and “improving documentation to demonstrate contracting decisions, including sole sourcing approaches, are justified and providing value for money.”

The CBC has reported that the AG’s report detailed “improper hiring practices for the CEC’s team of writers, website developers, photographers and campaign managers tasked with combating what the province considers misinformation on Alberta’s oil and gas industry.”The provincial corporation freely awarded sole-sourced contracts without documentation, spent money without board approval and paid contractors before their contracts were signed, auditors found.”¹⁰⁰Wallis Snowdon. “Alberta’s energy war room under fire in auditor general’s annual report,“ CBC News, November 5, 2021. Archived March 24, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ssMIn

“The AG found instances where there was insufficient documentation to explain how a vendor was chosen based on proposals provided,” the report said.

Dentons LLP

While working on the inquiry, commissioner Steve Allan granted a sole-source contract for legal advice to the Calgary law firm Dentons LLP, where his son Toby is a partner, CBC News reported.¹⁰¹Charles Rusnell and Jennie Russell. “Inquiry commissioner Steve Allan handed $905K sole-source contract to son’s law firm,” CBC, November 14, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Cgbdv

Edelman

CBC News reported, according to an auditor general’s report of the CEC, Edelman was awarded a $400,000 contract for a national ad campaign for the Teck Frontier mine proposal.

“A well established national firm, Edelman, was contracted given the tight timelines required. When the Frontier project was withdrawn, the planned campaign was rolled into the When We Work Canada Works campaign that ran elsewhere in Canada over a number of months,” a statement from the press secretary for Energy Minister Sonya Savage said. ¹⁰²Wallis Snowdon. “Alberta’s energy war room under fire in auditor general’s annual report,“ CBC News, November 5, 2021. Archived March 24, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ssMIn

Edelman’s clients list has included prominent climate change denial and oil industry groups like the American Petroleum Institute.

“Public relations firms have played a critical role over the years in framing the debate on climate change and its solutions – as well as the extensive disinformation campaigns launched to block those initiatives,” The Guardian reported in 2014.¹⁰³Suzanne Goldenberg and Nishad Karim. “World’s top PR companies rule out working with climate deniers,” The Guardian, August 4, 2014. Archived March 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/jlnTL

Edelman has been criticized for working with ExxonMobil, Shell, and fossil fuel lobby groups while at the same time publicly claiming to accept the consensus on climate change.¹⁰⁴Tiffany Hsu. “A P. R. Giant Is Caught Between Climate Pledges and Fossil Fuel Clients,” The New York Times, December 10, 2021. Archived March 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ID4w9

C&B Advertising

Filings showed that C&B Advertising has helped run the CEC’s U.S. campaigns. PressProgress has reported that the firm’s other clients have included the Calgary Stampede and ATCO Energy.¹⁰⁵“Jason Kenney’s Energy War Room Has Declared Itself a ‘Foreign Agent’ to American Authorities,” PressProgress, November 1, 2021. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MqSmK

One Persuasion Inc./ One Persuades

One Persuasion helps manage the CEC’s Support Canadian Energy website, Tom Olson said in an email to CTV News. One Persuasion was co-founded by Hamish Marshall, the campaign manager for the Conservatives’ 2019 federal election campaign.¹⁰⁶Jordan Kanygin. “Alberta’s privacy commissioner investigating energy war room’s use of personal information,” CTC News Calgary, August 16, 2021. Archived March 24, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Vsolw

DDB Canada

The CEC’s website Canadaisthesolution.com included the following information in its footer: “This material is distributed by DDB Canada on behalf of Canadian Energy Centre Ltd. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.” according to the website footer.¹⁰⁷“Canada is the solution for America’s energy security.” Canadaisthesolution.com. Archived March 24, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Ib0h4

Contact & Address

The following address was listed as the “Address of Foreign Principal” in the Canadian Energy Centre’s 2021 registration under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act in late summer 2021¹⁰⁸“Jason Kenney’s Energy War Room Has Declared Itself a ‘Foreign Agent’ to American Authorities,” PressProgress, November 1, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MqSmK in U.S. Department of Justice documents.¹⁰⁹“Exhibit A to Registration Statement Washington, dc 20530 Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended” (PDF), U.S. Department of Justice, September 1, 2021.

Suite 300, 801 6th Ave. S.W.
Calgary, Alberta
CANADA T2P 3W2

According to the CEC’s Government of Alberta certificate of incorporation, the group was registered to the same address as the law firm Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP:¹¹⁰Incorporate Alberta Corporation – Registration Statement for CANADIAN ENERGY CENTRE LTD. Government of Alberta. Retrieved from records search March 25, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog

2400, 525 – 8 A VENUE SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 1Gl

Social Media

• @CDNEnergyCentre on Twitter
• @CDNEnergyCentre on Facebook

Other Resources

• “Canadian Energy Centre” on Wikipedia
• “Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns” on Wikipedia
• “Jason Kenney touts $30M ‘war room’ but provides few details,” CBC News, June 7, 2019
• “Alberta incorporates energy war room as Canadian Energy Centre, work starts soon,” Edmonton Journal, October 9, 2019
• “Postmedia hires former Kenney chief of staff to lobby on ‘energy war room’,” CBC News, May 17, 2019
• “Who’s behind Alberta’s oil & gas war room?” Alberta Worker, May 26, 2021

Resources

• 1
  Mark Villani. “Alberta government officially launches ‘Energy War Room’ in Calgary,” CTV News, December 11, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/GI9i8
• 2
  Tom Olsen. “The Canadian Energy Centre aims to tell Canada’s energy story,” Canadian Energy Centre, December 10, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/14ITW
• 3
  “Annual Report 2021,” Canadian Energy Centre. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 4
  “Budget 2019: Fiscal Plan” (PDF), Government of Alberta, October 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 5
  “Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction Regulation,” Government of Alberta. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/q4UkH
• 6
  “JASON KENNEY FOUNDING AGM SPEECH,” United Conservative Party, Archived July 7, 2019. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/cM54S
• 7
  “LIVE with Minister Sonya Savage […],” Facebook, July 4, 2019. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
• 8
  Emma McIntosh. “Is a foreign-funded campaign the reason for Alberta’s pipeline woes?” The Star, April 16, 2019. Archived April 17, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/y99Lo
• 9
  “LIVE: Kenney on Alberta’s energy war room,” CBC Calgary via Facebook, June 7, 2019.
• 10
  Janet French. “Alberta energy war room immune from freedom of information law, rules adjudicator,” CBC News, March 22, 2022. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/3xYj7
• 11
  Michelle Bellefontaine. “Alberta energy war room not subject to freedom of information rules,” CBC, October 10, 2019. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7h1Xp
• 12
  Homepage, Friendlyenergy.com. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KnjOs
• 13
  “Foreign Agents Registration Act » FARA Frequently Asked Questions,” The United States Department of Justice. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hRcvb
• 14
  “Jason Kenney’s Energy War Room Has Declared Itself a ‘Foreign Agent’ to American Authorities,” PressProgress, November 1, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MqSmK
• 15
  “Exhibit A to Registration Statement Washington, dc 20530 Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended” (PDF), U.S. Department of Justice, September 1, 2021.
• 16
  “Short Form Registration Statement,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 18, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 17
  “Exhibit A to Registration Statement Washington, dc 20530 Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended” (PDF), U.S. Department of Justice, September 1, 2021.
• 18
  “Public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns,” Government of Alberta. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/p5Kwn
• 19
  Emma McIntosh. “Is a foreign-funded campaign the reason for Alberta’s pipeline woes?” The Star, April 16, 2019. Archived April 17, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/y99Lo
• 20
  “Hi Jason,I’ll answer any fair questions from anybody. How much have I been paid by The Inquiry? That’s a fair question. […]“Tweet by user “@FairQuestions,” July 21, 2021. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.
• 21
  Martin Olszynski. “Textbook Climate Denialism: A Submission to the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns” (PDF), ABlawg, January 14, 2021. Archived March 24, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at Desmog.
• 22
  “Draft of Alberta inquiry report critical of environmental groups, but says nothing improper about anti-oil campaigns,” The Globe and Mail, July 23, 2021. Archived March 23, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/W2qP7
• 23
  “Report of the public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns” (PDF), AlbertaInquiry.ca, July 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 24
  Lisa Johnson. “No evidence of wrongdoing found in Allan inquiry report into ‘anti-Alberta’ campaigns,” Edmonton Journal, October 22, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/EvILN
• 25
  Lisa Johnson. “Allan inquiry’s report triggers war of words with Alberta’s energy war room,” Edmonton Journal, October 22, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YsLMB
• 26
  “Report of the public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns” (PDF), AlbertaInquiry.ca, July 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 27
  “Vivian Krause: Allan report gave environmental groups exactly what they wanted,” Calgary Herald, October 30, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/vXPN0
• 28
  “Canadian Energy Centre CEO Tom Olsen responds to recommendations in the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns,” Canadian Energy Centre, October 21, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/9CJHs
• 29
  “Strengthening Alberta’s workforce,” YouTube video uploaded by user “YourAlberta,” October 25, 2021. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
• 30
  “Engagement Process,” Public Inquiry: Anti-Energy Campaigns. Archived December 3, 2020. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/vBzNs
• 31
  “Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns: Rules for Procedure and Practice” (PDF), AlbertaInquiry.ca, September 14, 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 32
  Jennie Russell and Charles Rusnell. “Critics denounce ‘climate-change denialism’ reports commissioned by Alberta inquiry,” CBC, January 14, 2021. Archived March 24, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Zg4rX
• 33
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