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An oil and gas pumpjack is shown near Cremona, Alta., on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020. An environmental law charity is asking a judge to shut down Alberta’s inquiry into the purported foreign funding of anti-oil environmental campaigns. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh CALGARY — An environmental charity argues an inquiry into alleged foreign-led campaigns targeting the oil and gas sector set out to label green groups as anti-Alberta and disrupt their funding before hearing any evidence. "This is a political gunfight intended to target, intimidate and harm organizations that hold views that differ from those of the government," Barry Robinson told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Karen Horner by video conference Thursday. Ecojustice argues the inquiry, a plank of the "fight-back" strategy the United Conservatives touted during the 2019 election campaign, was formed for an improper purpose. Public inquiries are meant to investigate tragedies or "worrisome matters of public concern," and the inquiry headed by forensic accountant Steve Allan does neither of those things, Robinson argued. Lawyers for the provincial government say in their written submissions that cabinet is entitled — and mandated — to decide what’s in the public interest and what issues warrant a public inquiry. They also […]
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