Thread by @albertaNDP

Environment Minister Sonya Savage has admitted the UCP’s $20-billion royalty giveaway is a bad idea that violates the polluter-pay principle. 🧵

#cdnpoli #ableg #ucp

On Monday, Savage was asked about a letter Danielle Smith wrote during her time as a corporate lobbyist advocating for the RStar program. In response, Savage said the program “didn’t align with Alberta’s polluter-pay principle and the royalty framework.”

“Alberta’s system has always been based on a core principle: when you make a mess, you clean it up. Danielle Smith wants to violate this basic principle to give away billions of dollars to her friends that helped get her elected.” NDP Energy Critic @KathleenGanley

During her time at Alberta Enterprise Group, Danielle Smith advocated for the government to adopt the RStar program that would grant up to $20-billion in royalty credits for companies to clean up wells they are already obligated to clean up.

Former Energy Minister Sonya Savage rejected the idea, but with Smith’s election as UCP leader, the UCP government is launching a pilot program and renaming it the Liability Incentive Management Program.

The program is being launched at a time when oil and gas companies are seeing record profits due to high energy prices and Albertans are struggling to pay their bills. It also comes during a crisis in health care caused by the pandemic and deep cuts to the system by the UCP.

Whatever the UCP calls the program, it’s a scam designed to give money to those that put Smith in power and shows they have the wrong priorities.

"Albertans are struggling to access medical care or keep a roof over their heads, but the UCP is focused on giving away billions of dollars that belong to Albertans and future generations,” said Ganley.