Tom Olsen, CEO of the Canadian Energy Centre, issued this response to recommendations in the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns:

“The Canadian Energy Centre (CEC) recognizes and applauds the immense amount of work put in by Steve Allan and the commission to issue a report of this breadth and scope. The report’s findings, including the extensive use of foreign funds against Canadian oil and gas and the level of sophistication and co-ordination of those committed to land locking Canada’s energy sector, are alarming but not surprising.

“We are pleased to see the commission reference some of the CEC’s work in the report.

“The findings and our experience over the past 20 months have shown that the CEC and our allies need to be more coordinated to counter the egregious falsehoods routinely put forward by anti-oil and gas activists.

“The CEC doesn’t shy away from constructive criticism and we are committed to continuous improvement. We are, however, disappointed the commission did not contact us to gain better insight into the work of the CEC to build wide-ranging support through increasingly effective advocacy campaigns directed at target audiences in the rest of Canada, the U.S. and across the globe.

“As the list of widespread validators attests to, the CEC has long overcome its growing pains, matured and hit its stride with an extensive body of research, editorial content and advocacy work.

“We have long been acting on the commission’s recommendation to build better dialogue with Indigenous communities and we are particularly gratified by the warm words of First Nations leaders, who are pleased with our intensive efforts to build trusted relationships with their communities and their businesses and with our work showcasing the important role they play in Canada’s energy future.

“We have been given accolades by a union leader in Ontario who has saluted our work standing up for workers against opposition to the safe construction and operation of pipelines and we are increasingly being seen as an essential organization by other advocates and associations working to protect our economic future.

“Most of all, we are buoyed by the growing support of a list of more than 37,000 ordinary people who have signed up to receive weekly newsletters, responses to misinformation about the energy industry, and advocacy campaigns.

“We will continue to tell a complete story of Canada’s new energy mix, including great work by the traditional oil and gas sector to reduce emissions, efforts to build a new hydrogen economy, and work to develop low-emission geothermal energy, small modular reactors and renewables.

“We are committed to uniting with our allies to tell Canada’s responsible energy story and how it is key to forging a Canadian solution to the global climate challenge.”