A member of Alberta’s energy regulator, who has been singled out by incoming premier Jason Kenney as a foe of provincial oil development, has quit.
Ed Whittingham has resigned from the board of directors of the Alberta Energy Regulator. He says he made the decision April 16, the night Kenney’s United Conservatives won the provincial election.
“I’ve had all sorts of people saying all sorts of things and putting out misinformation, putting out lies, trying to turn my career into an internet meme and a lot of it came down to, frankly, timing. The timing of my appointment made me the red meat for the base for the UCP,” Whittingham told The Ryan Jespersen Show on 630 CHED on Monday morning.
LISTEN BELOW: Ed Whittingham on The Ryan Jespersen Show on 630 CHED
Kenney is to be sworn in as premier Tuesday and has promised that one of his first acts in the job would be to fire Whittingham.
On the campaign trail, Kenney singled out Whittingham for his former work as executive director of the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based think tank that promotes economically responsible energy development.
He has accused Whittingham of committing “economic sabotage” against the province’s oil and gas industry by supporting and abetting groups seeking to landlock it, claims Whittingham denies.
“I was subjected to a smear campaign without precedent in Alberta for a public appointment held by a private citizen,” wrote Whittingham in the resignation letter submitted Sunday to board chair Sheila O’Brien.
“Much effort was made to defame my character.”
He cited his extensive work with the oil and gas industry including a seat on the Shell Global external advisory board, a spot on a World Economic Forum committee that looked at the future of oil and gas and his years working as a consultant for various oil and gas companies.
According to Whittingham he is “pro responsible development” and said he shared the goal of the previous government to promote the responsible development of oil and gas.
“I’ve worked very closely with the oil and gas industry, I’ve got friends there and I’m proud of what it’s accomplished,” he said. “So for someone to come along and internet meme call me ‘anti-oil’ that was too much.”
In Whittingham’s resignation letter, he said he couldn’t stand behind the new government’s tactics and policy direction, particularly getting rid of the emissions limit.
In a tweet, Kenney said it was “gracious” of Whittingham to hand in his resignation the day before the incoming government could fire him.
“Our government will never appoint people like him who are avowed opponents of Alberta jobs,” he continued. “And we will stop all funding to groups engaged in economic sabotage against Alberta.”
Kenney also promised to replace the rest of the AER board, saying that approvals for energy projects take far longer when compared with competing jurisdictions and that lag is hurting Alberta’s economy.
Whittingham is the first high-profile casualty in what’s expected to be a legal and public relations war promised by Kenney against those in and out of government who he says are conspiring to hamstring Alberta’s oil and gas industry.
Kenney is setting up a $30-million energy “war room” to respond to those he says spread falsehoods about oil.
He has also promised to hold a public inquiry into foreign sources of funds behind anti-oilsands campaigns.
Companies that boycott the oilsands will be boycotted by the Alberta government, he has said, and the province will also challenge the charitable status of groups involved in anti-oilsands campaigns.
Kenney has also promised roll back elements of outgoing NDP Premier Rachel Notley’s environmental plan, including the provincial carbon tax and a phase out of coal-fired electricity by 2030.
– With files from Dean Bennett and Bob Weber, The Canadian Press
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