What we are getting for some $82,000 per day — far more than the average person earns in an entire year — out of the so-called Canadian Energy Centre (CEC), is one embarrassment after another.
Also known as the energy war room, the CEC website’s own terms of use, under Section 7, Reliance on Information Posted, nonchalantly declares that, “We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of this information.”
Well then, what’s the point?
The terms go on to add, “Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk,” as well as, “We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such materials by you or any other visitor to the website, or by anyone who may be informed of any of its contents.”
For alleged "journalists" working at the centre, one would think basic fact checking and standing by their work would be of paramount importance to protect their integrity. Instead, the taxpayer-funded spin machine straight up admits that it does not so much as even “warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of this information.”
Albertans deserve a far greater return on their $30-million a year “investment” than a mouthpiece for industry propaganda that waives all legal liability for any misinformation it spreads.
Those tens of millions of dollars could have been allocated to help subsidize Albertans’ efforts to improve their homes' or businesses’ energy efficiency, which stimulates the economy by putting contractors to work, and saves people money in the long run by reducing energy waste, money they can instead spend in the economy.
Or those millions could have covered a substantial portion of the policing cost under the new provincial funding formula that leaves rural municipalities on the hook for a big slice of the pie.
Or even for schools and teachers, hospitals and nurses, seniors’ centres and care aides, or perhaps even desperately needed infrastructure upgrades including broadband initiatives.
Instead, we have an embarrassing boondoggle, with biased government communications “experts” posing as objective journalists, and so far two copyright infringements on the war room’s logo.
Of course, the UCP is not about to backtrack now, despite vocal calls to do just that from the official Opposition. After all, pulling the plug on this farce after barely one month would be to admit a mistake of humiliatingly monumental proportions.
So, instead, we can expect the government to double down and proceed full steam ahead with wasting our tax dollars.
People who voted for Kenney expecting a fiscally conscious and conservative leader that spends our dollars wisely should be appalled by this massive misallocation of public funds.
Simon Ducatel is the editor of the Sundre Round Up.
