Thread by @EmmaMci, My latest, about Alberta's inquiry into alleged foreign-funded campaigns against the province’s [...]

My latest, about Alberta's inquiry into alleged foreign-funded campaigns against the province’s energy sector. The inquiry spent $83,965 commissioning reports critics say downplay the climate crisis and veer into conspiracy. #ableg https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/01/15/news/alberta-inquiry-reports-downplay-climate-crisis-critics

Alberta inquiry-commissioned reports downplay climate crisis, veer

The publicly funded inquiry, which is meant to examine an alleged foreign-funded campaign against Alberta oil and gas, spent $83,965 commissioning the reports.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/01/15/news/alberta-inquiry-reports-downplay-climate-crisis-critics

Here's a sampling of what was in the reports. One claimed w/o evidence that First Nations opposed to O&G were being bribed. One referenced Soros. Another was by a U.S. (foreign-funded!) oil lobby group

I reached out to Barry Cooper -- he's an interesting figure as @mikedesouza explains: https://twitter.com/mikedesouza/status/1349892334561931264

In an email, Cooper told me: “The term ‘climate denialism’ as I am sure you know is a silly term analogous to holocaust denialism; that is, it is simply an insult."

https://twitter.com/mikedesouza/status/1349892334561931264

To be clear, all of these reports were commissioned and paid for with public funds. They're important because people participating in the inquiry were given these to comment on and give feedback about.

The inquiry says the reports were "deemed to be important views” but that climate science and other perspectives are included in other ways (no specifics). The inquiry also says climate science isn't actually core to its mandate, the foreign funding questions are.

The inquiry's final report is due in two weeks. Critics I spoke to questioned whether, given these reports, it's a good use of public money or going to deliver what it promised.

Thanks to @molszyns for his work unpacking this, and to @andrew_leach and @MelaneeLThomas for their thoughts. Read em here: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/01/15/news/alberta-inquiry-reports-downplay-climate-crisis-critics

Alberta inquiry-commissioned reports downplay climate crisis, veer

The publicly funded inquiry, which is meant to examine an alleged foreign-funded campaign against Alberta oil and gas, spent $83,965 commissioning the reports.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/01/15/news/alberta-inquiry-reports-downplay-climate-crisis-critics

And if you're interested in a closer read of what's going on in these reports, read this by @molszyns https://twitter.com/molszyns/status/1349765038521806848

https://twitter.com/molszyns/status/1349765038521806848

You can follow @EmmaMci.

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