Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan insulted Premier Danielle Smith for not receiving a warm welcome at COP28. “Quite the reception our Premier is getting at #COP28,” tweeted McGowan..McGowan was commenting on COP28 newsletter ECO saying it was concerned about Smith's attendance. “Swaddled by a 100 person convoy of oil-crony delegates, the Premier of the Canadian Province of Alberta Danielle Smith arrived at COP28,” said ECO. “While the world is here to achieve a fossil fuel phaseout, Smith is here to deny, delay and distract on behalf of the oil and gas industry.” .While ECO deems Canada to be an underperforming climate laggard, it said few understand the root cause of this stagnation being the oil and gas lobby capturing obstructionist petroleum-producing provinces. It called Smith “an especially hostile actor.” Smith confirmed on November 24 Alberta will have a carbon capture plan in place before she steps on the plane to go to COP28. READ MORE: Smith vows carbon capture plan by COP28 whether Guilbeault is ready or notShe said she would be proposing this plan whether or not Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault has his ducks in a row. With this proposal, she said it would be modelled on the Alberta government’s petrochemical incentive plan which offers royalty credits to incentivize companies to begin planning and making hundreds of billions of dollars in new investments.Shift Executive Director Adam Scott said no one at COP28 cares about the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments, as “they have no meaningful role and there's little audience save for other Canadian oil and gas lobbyists here.” “It's just a sad, wasteful attempt to get media back in Canada,” said Scott..Former Red Deer County councillor Jean Bota praised McGowan for saying Smith was foolish. “Not the saviour as she thought,” said Bota..Alberta Chief Government Whip Shane Getson said on Thursday NDP leader Rachel Notley should denounce anti-energy and anti-worker comments from McGowan. READ MORE: UCP whip asks Notley to condemn anti-oil comments from union boss“McGowan isn’t just commenting from the peanut gallery here,” said Getson. “He represents an organization with two voting seats on the Alberta NDP’s provincial executive.”
Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan insulted Premier Danielle Smith for not receiving a warm welcome at COP28. “Quite the reception our Premier is getting at #COP28,” tweeted McGowan..McGowan was commenting on COP28 newsletter ECO saying it was concerned about Smith's attendance. “Swaddled by a 100 person convoy of oil-crony delegates, the Premier of the Canadian Province of Alberta Danielle Smith arrived at COP28,” said ECO. “While the world is here to achieve a fossil fuel phaseout, Smith is here to deny, delay and distract on behalf of the oil and gas industry.” .While ECO deems Canada to be an underperforming climate laggard, it said few understand the root cause of this stagnation being the oil and gas lobby capturing obstructionist petroleum-producing provinces. It called Smith “an especially hostile actor.” Smith confirmed on November 24 Alberta will have a carbon capture plan in place before she steps on the plane to go to COP28. READ MORE: Smith vows carbon capture plan by COP28 whether Guilbeault is ready or notShe said she would be proposing this plan whether or not Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault has his ducks in a row. With this proposal, she said it would be modelled on the Alberta government’s petrochemical incentive plan which offers royalty credits to incentivize companies to begin planning and making hundreds of billions of dollars in new investments.Shift Executive Director Adam Scott said no one at COP28 cares about the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments, as “they have no meaningful role and there's little audience save for other Canadian oil and gas lobbyists here.” “It's just a sad, wasteful attempt to get media back in Canada,” said Scott..Former Red Deer County councillor Jean Bota praised McGowan for saying Smith was foolish. “Not the saviour as she thought,” said Bota..Alberta Chief Government Whip Shane Getson said on Thursday NDP leader Rachel Notley should denounce anti-energy and anti-worker comments from McGowan. READ MORE: UCP whip asks Notley to condemn anti-oil comments from union boss“McGowan isn’t just commenting from the peanut gallery here,” said Getson. “He represents an organization with two voting seats on the Alberta NDP’s provincial executive.”
