Thread by @ProgressAlberta

Paragraph 1234 of the Allan Inquiry's report invalidates the whole enterprise. “I agree that, on its own, the label “anti-Alberta” or “anti-Albertan”, is not helpful or constructive; it does not reflect the objectives or work of this Inquiry.” #ableg

The numbers that Sonya Savage are referencing are hilariously torqued. The report states that total foreign funding for “Canadian-based” environmental initiatives was $1.28 billion between 2003 and 2019. A third of that total comes from Ducks Unlimited.

The new CEO of Ducks Unlimited Canada is Larry Kaumeyer, Jason Kenney's former principal secretary and interim chief of staff. We reported on that here. theprogressreport.ca/senior_kenney_…

Sonya Savage is up doing this press conference without Jason Kenney or even the author of the report, Steve Allan. The commissioner doesn't believe that the term "anti-Alberta" is helpful or constructive nor does it reflect the objectives of the inquiry.

The title of the inquiry is a "Public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy campaigns"

There is also a whole section that shit talks the War Room. Paragraph 1497: "There were several missteps from the outset that damaged its reputation from which it has not been able to recover."

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

That past tweet is from paragraph 1499. It is referencing the War Room.

"The numbers were confusing to me as well," Sonya Savage.

"That's when he gets into wordsmithing... that's where it gets complicated," says Savage about Allan's report.

"The $3.5 million dollars was money well spent," says Sonya Savage about the inquiry.

Don't imagine there are many people that are going to agree, but go off.

Julia Wong asks "Why is the premier hiding?" Sonya Savage dissembles. Also says commissioner Allan's work is done, she will let the report stand. His home planet needs him now.

Sonya Savage says the report was never meant to punish or impugn. In April 2019 Jason Kenney said precisely the opposite. "Pursue all possible legal remedies against the foreign-funded Tar Sands Campaign" albertastrongandfree.ca/kenney-announc…

From the same announcement. "That is why I am announcing today that a UCP government would immediately pursue an aggressive legal strategy to hold the Tar Sands Campaign funders to account for what they have done to our province.”

This whole enterprise has been a ridiculous sham and it's going down in flames before our very eyes.

The phone feed for journalists just cut out. Press conference over?

Switched over to the Youtube feed and Sonya Savage is actually defending the War Room. Hilarious.

The "key findings" document that was sent out with the report says, "The report confirms the existence of well-funded foreign interests that have been waging a decade-long campaign of misinformation with the goal of landlocking Alberta’s oil and gas."

The inquiry report makes no finding on misinformation. In fact Allan deliberately decided to not include fact-checking in his mandate.

"There is no lack of transparency there," says Sonya Savage on the war room. The war room is not subject to FOIP.

Sonya Savage can't even say that she wants the ENGOs to stop doing what they're doing.

Oh man, Savage is being put in an absolutely impossible position here. It is hilarious.

"These are real things that need to be looked into," says Savage. You just spent $3.5 million and two years on looking into it.

James Keller makes the same point as us. That a huge chunk of the money that Allan says is "foreign funding" went to Ducks Unlimited.

The New York Times guy gets shushed by some press secretary on the call.

The New York Times guy seems incredulous at this whole enterprise.