The Alberta Roundup with Isaac Lamoureux - June 08, 2024


Alberta gears up to fight federal censorship


Episode Stats


Length

9 minutes

Words per minute

177.53455

Word count

1,649

Sentence count

107

Harmful content

Misogyny

5

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

The federal government has found a new way to target Canada s economic driver. You guessed it, Ottawa now wants to censor oil and gas companies. The new measure is designed to ensure that oil companies can t talk about their environmental achievements unless it s proven against some undefined standard.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
00:00:00.000 The federal government has found a new way to target Canada's best economic driver.
00:00:04.980 You guessed it, Ottawa now wants to censor oil and gas companies.
00:00:09.200 The new measure is designed to ensure that oil and gas companies can't talk about their
00:00:13.600 environmental achievements unless it's proven against some undefined standard.
00:00:18.040 Simply put, oil and gas won't be able to defend themselves against relentless attacks from
00:00:22.740 the Liberals and the NDP.
00:00:24.400 It's the latest low blow from a government that isn't interested in defending its record
00:00:28.140 or debating its opponents, but rather relies on the authoritarian adage of silencing its
00:00:33.540 detractors.
00:00:34.540 I'm Rachel Emanuel, and this is the Alberta Roundup.
00:00:45.760 Okay everyone, taking a look at our first story here.
00:00:50.920 The Alberta government is considering employing its Sovereignty Act to stop what it's calling
00:00:55.360 a gag order on oil companies talking about their environmental achievements.
00:00:59.940 The federal government's proposed Bill C-59, which is currently awaiting Senate approval,
00:01:03.920 would force oil companies talking about their environmental achievements to prove their words
00:01:10.020 using an undefined, quote, internationally recognized methodology.
00:01:14.680 Alberta Environment and Protected Areas Ministers Rebecca Schultz said the bill would pave the
00:01:19.100 way for environmental activists to sue oil and gas companies over so-called, quote, misleading
00:01:23.760 environmental benefits.
00:01:26.260 In a statement, she said, quote,
00:01:27.840 C-59, put plain and simply, is an undemocratic gag order.
00:01:32.460 It must be stopped.
00:01:33.520 As the province considers all of its legal options available to stop this legislation,
00:01:38.040 Schultz said Alberta has not ruled out utilizing the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada
00:01:42.740 Act.
00:01:43.400 I'm sure you guys remember that was Alberta Premier Daniel Smith's flagship piece of legislation
00:01:47.280 after being elected, which would bar federal legislation deemed harmful to the province.
00:01:52.120 Moving into our next story here, I'm sure you guys will all be relieved to learn that the
00:01:56.020 Bank of Canada has finally lowered interest rates, and just one day after Alberta Premier
00:02:01.260 Daniel Smith encouraged them to do so.
00:02:03.420 At an unrelated press conference on Tuesday, the Premier encouraged the Bank of Canada to
00:02:07.340 lower interest rates while touting her government's actions on affordability.
00:02:11.240 Take a listen.
00:02:11.700 We were prepared to do more.
00:02:13.140 What we're happy to see is that the level of year-over-year increases in inflation are
00:02:18.980 moderating.
00:02:19.700 When we were putting these measures in, you have to remember, we were looking at 7% to
00:02:22.660 8% annual inflation rates.
00:02:24.520 We're now down in the band where even the Bank of Canada is talking about reducing rates.
00:02:29.520 And I hope they do, because that is the biggest cost that people are seeing, is when they go
00:02:33.800 to renew their mortgage and they're seeing rates that are double what they used to have
00:02:37.540 on, that is ending up doubling their mortgage payment.
00:02:40.020 When landlords are going to renew their mortgages and they see a doubling in the cost, they're
00:02:45.420 passing that on in the form of rent increases.
00:02:48.660 And so we're very hopeful that we'll see the Bank of Canada start moving in the other direction.
00:02:53.680 The bank announced a 0.25% interest rate cut on Wednesday, as it continues to try to stabilize
00:02:59.440 markets and keep inflation in check.
00:03:01.400 The decision to reduce interest points by a quarter of a percentage points makes the Bank
00:03:05.520 of Canada the first G7 bank to begin easing its cycle.
00:03:09.340 Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem dropped the benchmark overnight rate to 4.75% on Wednesday,
00:03:15.840 a decision that has been widely anticipated by economists for some time now.
00:03:19.440 In other news, the City of Calgary has issued an Alberta emergency alert due to a water break
00:03:24.260 that has significantly impacted Calgarians' water use.
00:03:27.460 Outdoor water use is currently not permitted in Calgary and Calgarians have been asked not
00:03:31.600 to shower, take baths, or run dishwashers.
00:03:33.980 Alberta Health Services has also issued a BOIL advisory for all residents in the Calgary
00:03:39.120 community of Bowness.
00:03:40.340 We have a clip of what that water break looked like in Calgary.
00:03:43.540 Take a look.
00:03:44.060 It's a nice park here in Calgary.
00:03:53.620 It's not an East City employee to be found.
00:03:59.700 That water made dripping. 0.94
00:04:06.420 In an update as of Friday morning, the City of Calgary said that it was at risk of running
00:04:28.940 out of water and is asking residents to use 25% less water than they did on Thursday.
00:04:34.980 I'm currently out of the province.
00:04:36.240 I'm an Ontario visiting family, but this is happening in Northwest Calgary, right where
00:04:39.480 I was living.
00:04:40.120 I'm so grateful not to be here for this.
00:04:42.720 Very annoying.
00:04:43.560 We were being warned of a drought.
00:04:44.820 I'm sure you guys remember that.
00:04:45.740 Everyone was like, oh, we have to conserve water for this drought.
00:04:47.620 And then it rained and rained and rained and lots of snow as well.
00:04:50.360 Finally, the water levels were back up.
00:04:51.700 And now this massive water break.
00:04:53.440 The City of Calgary hasn't even identified what's caused this catastrophe yet.
00:04:56.660 So it looks like it might take some time to manage.
00:04:58.840 But certainly my thoughts with the people of Calgary, what an absolute irritation to not
00:05:02.780 be able to shower even, and for some people not even having fresh drinking water at their
00:05:06.500 homes anymore.
00:05:07.380 Moving into our controversy of the week.
00:05:09.260 This one's from yours truly over at True North.
00:05:12.020 Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has appointed a former scandal-plagued premier to an Alberta
00:05:18.020 investment agency.
00:05:19.520 Former Alberta Premier Alison Redford was appointed to the Provincial Investment Attraction Agency
00:05:25.000 this week.
00:05:25.560 I'm sure you all know this even better than me.
00:05:28.060 Redford is best known for her short and scandal-plagued tenure as Alberta's premier in 0.98
00:05:32.740 the early 2010s.
00:05:34.140 She was appointed to the Invest Alberta Corporation, which expedites business operations, fosters
00:05:39.660 collaboration, and, quote, goes the extra mile to ensure long-term success for businesses,
00:05:44.620 according to its website.
00:05:45.960 Redford resigned in March 2014 after just three years as premier, following a series of controversies.
00:05:51.760 The most infamous incident, now dubbed the Sky Palace, involved the premier spending millions
00:05:57.500 of dollars of taxpayers' money to renovate the top suite of the Queen Elizabeth building
00:06:02.100 at the Alberta Legislature to live in with her daughter.
00:06:05.580 She would also book every seat on the government planes, but then travel with only one or two
00:06:10.520 close members, ensuring that the remaining seats stayed empty and that she didn't have 0.99
00:06:14.840 to travel with anyone else.
00:06:16.420 Redford was also forced to reimburse $45,000 for a trip to South Africa to attend Nelson Mandela's
00:06:22.580 funeral, and she eventually acknowledged that she used the government planes to fly her daughter's
00:06:27.380 friends around and repaid the equivalent airfare of $3,100.
00:06:32.260 The former premier is replacing Laura Daniels on the board.
00:06:35.800 She will be compensated for this position.
00:06:37.580 It's not immediately clear what that compensation will be.
00:06:40.400 Compensation on the board ranges from $30,000 to as low as $4,000, according to 2021 Information,
00:06:48.420 which is the last publicly available data.
00:06:50.220 And finally, moving into what we're watching in the weeks to come, it would appear that
00:06:53.820 nothing is off the table for the NDP and their all-out crusade against Alberta's oil
00:06:58.460 and gas industry.
00:06:59.660 NDP MPs told the media that they are concocting a plan to hold not just big oil and gas accountable
00:07:05.300 for allegedly burning the planet, but also the conservative and liberal parties for apparently
00:07:10.160 allowing it.
00:07:11.060 They grilled oil and gas executives in a House of Commons committee meeting this week, but
00:07:14.940 the NDP said they also want the world to compare oil and gas producers to the tobacco
00:07:19.720 industry so they can ban them from advertising.
00:07:22.760 Laurel Collins, the NDP critic for the environment and climate change, and Charlie Angus, the
00:07:26.840 party's natural resource critic, said during a press conference this week that the hearing
00:07:31.040 would be an opportunity to show Canadians how producing energy was, quote, making people
00:07:35.840 sick.
00:07:36.340 Before entering the committee hearing, Angus said, quote, this is the big tobacco moment
00:07:40.100 for oil and gas.
00:07:41.020 We have to hold these companies accountable.
00:07:43.320 They are not good corporate citizens.
00:07:44.860 They are not attempting to reduce emissions, and they're saying, we will continue to make
00:07:49.220 profits.
00:07:50.040 We will continue to burn your children's future. 0.59
00:07:52.540 Angus also took the opportunity to take aim at Alberta Premier Daniel Smith.
00:07:55.900 Take a listen.
00:07:56.860 In fact, we heard yesterday their spokesperson, Daniel Smith, said she wants to double production
00:08:02.060 in the tar sands.
00:08:03.440 This has got to be dealt with.
00:08:06.360 This is why we support the UN call to end oil and gas advertising.
00:08:12.320 It is a threat to human health.
00:08:14.200 This is the big tobacco moment for oil and gas.
00:08:16.860 We have to hold these companies accountable.
00:08:19.000 They are not good corporate citizens.
00:08:20.720 They are not attempting to reduce emissions.
00:08:22.860 And they're saying, we will continue to make profits.
00:08:25.060 We will continue to burn your children's future. 0.59
00:08:27.380 But hey, if you want us to lower emissions, you pay for the cost.
00:08:31.480 No, those days are done.
00:08:33.040 And finally, moving into our weekly comment roundup.
00:08:35.160 These are taken from my episodes two weeks ago.
00:08:37.060 I did miss last week, Saturday.
00:08:38.380 I was away about people starting fires in Alberta and them often turning into large forest fires.
00:08:44.420 User King Robbie said eco-terrorism.
00:08:47.260 And user Angel Rose said the government should pass a law life sentence for starting forest fires.
00:08:52.700 Unfortunately, the legal system falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government,
00:08:56.200 and they certainly don't seem interested in penalizing anyone who commits actual crimes.
00:09:00.500 Only if you say the wrong thing, then you might find yourself in jail.
00:09:04.380 All right, everyone.
00:09:04.900 That's all we have time for today.
00:09:05.920 As always, please like this video and subscribe to True North so you don't miss any of our content.
00:09:10.600 If you want to support our work, you can do that over at donate.tnc.news.
00:09:14.380 I hope that you guys have a great rest of your week.
00:09:16.260 I'll see you next week.
00:09:16.840 God bless.
00:09:17.280 God bless.