Tell Alberta’s Watchdog About Yager’s Conflicts

Imagine this: Your Premier awards their former top campaign fundraiser and fossil fuel industry consultant exclusive back-to-back public contracts. As he enjoys his taxpayer-funded six-figure paycheck working directly with them, he’s appointed to help lead the oil and gas regulator meant to operate independently of government. All the while, he appears to continue working as a consultant for the very same industry he’s meant to help regulate.[1][2]

Do those sound like potential conflicts of interest to you? Because to us – and to a growing number of residents of Alberta and Canada at large – they do.

These are, we believe, the events that preceded the leak (and ultimate publication) of Alberta’s Mature Asset Strategy report – the flawed product of a flawed process led by “special advisor” to the Premier, Alberta Energy Regulator Director and apparently simultaneous fossil fuel industry consultant, David Yager.[3][4] The report, meant to outline Alberta’s new strategy for accelerating closure of aging oil and gas wells, made headlines for recommending shifting cleanup obligations away from the fossil fuel industry.[5][6][7][8]

In Alberta, conflicts of interest at high levels of public administration are against the law.[9]

And it’s in your power to flag it to the province’s watchdog.[10] Help trigger an investigation into possible breaches of the Alberta statutes and policies around conflicts of interest. Personalize your email to the Alberta Ethics Commissioner now.

Sources:

Flag David Yager’s potential conflicts of interest to Alberta’s ethics watchdog