The Fox in the henhouse?

[ASRG]

Ken Hughes has named Encana VP Gerard Protti as the chair of the new Alberta Energy Regulator!
Protti was also a founding member of CAPP(Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers). He was a registered lobbyist for oil and gas interests.
This is the guy who will decide if you get a hearing, decide if you are getting adequate compensation, will decide if your land has been polluted!
Somehow I don't think this will turn out well?

[grassfarmer]

Yep, saw that. Not really surprising in this province
any more though.

[ASRG]

Danielle Smith came out yesterday applauding this appointment.
Last night at our Wildrose constituency meeting our MLA sure got a strong message over this!
We are not happy campers....to say the least!
Smith needs to learn when to keep her big mouth shut!

[wilagro]

Ken Hughes is a nitwit IMHO. His record speaks for itself.

If he thinks that this appointment is going to do the government any good, he is sadly mistaken. Maybe it will be the straw that breaks the PC camel's back come election time.

[wilagro]

A little background on Mr. Protti:

"Gerard Protti, Director
Gerard Protti is Chairman of the Board of FT Services, and is Vice- Chair of Alberta Innovates Technology Futures and the Energy Policy Institute of Canada. He is also on the Board of SAIT Polytechnic. Mr. Protti has 35 years of experience in the private and public energy sectors. This includes 14 years in several executive officer roles at PanCanadian Petroleum and EnCana Corporation including marketing, operations, new ventures, offshore and international development and corporate relations. He is past Chairman of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He has graduate and undergraduate degrees in economics from the University of Western Ontario and University of Alberta respectively."

There's lots more on the Internet but I think I know what his appointment bodes for us poor farmers when it comes to interaction with resource extractors.

[wilagro]

From the TYEE an article:

http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2013/04/02/new_top_energy_regulator/

So there you have it...we are soon to be TOAST.

[grassfarmer]

I disagree ASRG I hate to see people not allowed to
speak their mind, it smacks of central control and
coverup. Danielle doesn't need "to keep her big
mouth shut" I think she needs to think smarter stuff
sometimes. Like the denying climate change thing.
Makes you unelectable in the eyes of a percentage of
the population.

[per]

I agree a smarter statement from Danielle would have shown a little thought went into it. For the record GF she stated that the science is not settled. She didn't say there wasn't any climate change. Big difference.

[grassfarmer]

Per, I stand corrected. Perception is everything in the
public forum though and that is how it was perceived
unfortunately.

[ASRG]

In the big picture I guess it doesn't really matter who was appointed chair? The fact is with the passage of bill 2 (and the soon to be introduced changes to the Surface Rights Act) we have basically lost all our property rights anyway?
If the oil companies want to go after the shallow shales in a big way it was a necessity for Alberta to get rid of any opposition, environmental protection, and lower compensation to landowners.
Danielle is just getting on the bandwagon.