Alberta Oil Sands Advisory Group co-chair’s departure a ‘mutual decision’: government

In what a government spokesperson tells News Talk 770 is a “mutual decision,” Tzeporah Berman is departing the Oil Sands Advisory Group approximately one year ahead of when her term as co-chair was scheduled to end.

Berman was one of three co-chairs of the group which struck to advise the Alberta government on the implementation of the province’s climate leadership plan in relation to the oil sands. She was slated to serve a 24-month term, or for a time “otherwise determined by the Minister of Environment and Parks responsible for the Alberta Climate Change Office.”

In May 2017, Berman drew the ire of Alberta’s opposition parties after an interview in an online magazine revealed she supported the British Columbia New Democrats in that province’s general election. The BC NDP are opposed to the construction of the Kinder-Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The news prompted Progressive Conservatives and the Wildrose Party to call for Berman’s dismissal.

READ MORE: BC NDP and Greens to push legal challenge of Trans Mountain pipeline

“In no case would I suggest I have the ability to direct any of those people in how they spend their time off of the very part-time committee work they engage in,” said Premier Rachel Notley when asked about Berman’s comments in May 2017.

On Friday, Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips was unequivocal in dismissing the notion Berman’s departure had anything to do with her comments about the BC election.

“She and a couple of other voices who were there for an external perspective, their work is coming to be finished,” Phillips said. “Certainly the consensus advice around the emissions piece was a very large piece of it. They’re now concluding their work around the technology and innovation framework.”

READ MORE: Alberta advisory group shares recommendations for oilsands emissions cap

In a tweet, Berman said she was stepping down from the group at the end of the month.

Conservative opposition parties were pleased with news of Berman’s departure.

“After months of talking down Alberta and the hardworking people in the oilsands, we are happy to see that Berman has been asked to leave the Oil Sands Advisory Group,” said PC caucus leader Ric McIver. “Including diverse voices on this panel is important, but to appoint an anti-oilsand, eco-warrior as the co-chair was irresponsible governing from the NDP. We just hope Berman hasn’t tarnished Alberta’s reputation.”

“After refusing to fire Berman for over a year, I suppose this is a way to let her go & look like it’s (no big deal),” tweeted Wildrose MLA Derek Fildebrandt.

In addition to Berman, former Greenpeace Canada managing director Karen Mahon, CPAWS Northern Alberta executive director Alison Ronson, Shell Canada’s Christa Seaman, and Lloyd Visser from ConocoPhillips will be departing from the advisory group.