Ecojustice went to court to challenge Premier Jason Kenney’s controversial public inquiry into “anti-Alberta” activities.
We said the inquiry was nothing more than a political exercise, aimed at silencing and targeting environmental organizations and distracting Canadians from the climate crisis on their doorstep.
In November 2019, our lawyers filed an application in the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench saying the Alberta public inquiry was unlawful and should be struck down. Ecojustice challenged the inquiry on three grounds:
- First, that the government brought the inquiry for improper, political purposes
- Second, that the inquiry proceedings raise serious concerns around bias and unfairness
- Third, that the inquiry sets out to deal with issues that don’t actually fall under provincial jurisdiction
Unfortunately, on May 14, 2021, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench ruled that the controversial and beleaguered public inquiry into “anti-Alberta” activities could proceed.
After four deadline extensions, a two-year delay and widespread criticism to the government, the inquiry's final report was released by the Alberta government on October 21, 2021.
The report contained no new information, and confirmed what Ecojustice had said from the outset of the process: The inquiry was a witch hunt launched solely to intimidate people and organizations who — in response to the threats the climate crisis poses to our health, environment, and economy — are standing up to rampant development of oil and gas in Alberta.
Instead of taking action to protect Albertans from the climate crisis, the province wasted $3.5 million on a partisan stunt that will serve no purpose in the long run.
