NDP decries contract for UCP supporter to evaluation power regulator

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EDMONTON — Alberta’s Opposition New Democrats are condemning one other sole-source contract handed out to a detailed affiliate of the United Conservative Occasion authorities.

The occasion has requested the province’s auditor to analyze a number of such contracts awarded to what it calls “partisan supporters of the premier.”

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A not too long ago launched doc exhibits David Yager, a longtime oilpatch govt, journalist and conservative activist, is being paid $70,000 to evaluation the Alberta Power Regulator. The data is contained in authorities disclosure statements which might be launched quarterly.

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The disclosure reveals little about what Yager has been requested to evaluation. It refers to a “evaluation” of the regulator — one among Alberta’s most essential public our bodies — and provides an finish date of February.

James Snell, spokesman for Alberta Power Minister Brian Jean, mentioned all guidelines had been adopted in awarding Yager the contract.

“David Yager is a nationally acknowledged power coverage knowledgeable,” he mentioned in an e mail.

Yager didn’t reply to a request for remark. A spokesperson for the regulator mentioned it had no remark.

It’s the second latest sole-source for Yager, who additionally labored on a report on Alberta’s power future — a report that has by no means been launched.

Guidelines posted on the federal government’s web site say sole-source contracts might be issued when “it may be demonstrated that just one provider is ready to meet the necessities of a procurement.”

NDP questions if consequence ‘predetermined’

NDP critic Kathleen Ganley questioned Thursday whether or not that rule utilized on this case.

“In a province filled with power specialists, it leaves you to surprise what the work is, if the end result is predetermined.”

Snell mentioned Yager’s earlier report made him a pure selection for the brand new one.

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“His (earlier) report recognized points on the (regulator) which intently matched gadgets that the (regulator) thought wanted consideration.”

Ganley mentioned there was no info on what the evaluation is to contemplate or on the method for public enter. The regulator adjudicates a few of the most wide-ranging and contentious points within the province, together with coal mining, oilpatch cleanup and tailings pond administration.

Ganley referred to as Yager a conservative “partisan.”

Yager’s web site lists an extended historical past of involvement in conservative politics, together with fundraising for the previous Wildrose Occasion, operating as a candidate for the Wildrose, supporting its merger with Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives to kind the now-governing UCP and advising Jean.

Yager has claimed to have helped persuade Premier Danielle Smith to enter politics. He additionally as soon as in contrast the previous New Democrat authorities to a terminal illness.

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“What it seems to be like is the premier employed an insider to do a report to present her the reply she wished,” Ganley mentioned. “It’s extremely troubling.”

The New Democrats have requested the auditor common to look at the Yager contract and two different sole-source contracts. They are saying these contracts, price $142,000 for digital media providers, got to an organization run by Smith’s former marketing campaign supervisor.

Though these contracts had been justified as “an unforeseeable state of affairs of emergency,” the NDP asks in a letter to the auditor common what state of affairs involving media planning could be pressing sufficient to require the quick spending of public cash.

Yager beforehand laid out imaginative and prescient for Alberta Power Regulator

In an article written in 2019, Yager laid out his imaginative and prescient for a revamped regulator.

“That the AER ought to make sure the trade cleans up after itself is inside its mandate,” he wrote. “The way it accomplishes this have to be re-examined.”

Yager mentioned court docket rulings that put environmental liabilities forward of collectors throughout chapter have squeezed power corporations.

“Troubled corporations can’t borrow to remain onside with (the regulator’s) decommissioning deposits,” he wrote. “Is that this what the (regulator) ought to be doing, when many corporations are experiencing monetary difficulties?”

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Yager argued the regulator’s position has expanded to incorporate environmental and social questions. These questions ought to be determined elsewhere, he wrote.

“Alberta’s power regulator was not created to make political selections, nor ought to it’s permitted to take action.”

He mentioned trade critics are uncompromising and that makes an attempt to search out center floor are doomed to fail.

“Whereas the said mandate is to not say, ’No,’ the more and more lengthy, pricey, convoluted and unsure path to ’Sure’ makes an company evaluation, and probably an overhaul, important.”

Ganley mentioned any evaluation of the regulator should not solely be carried out in public, it have to be launched publicly.

“The (regulator) does some fairly essential issues.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Nov. 23, 2023.

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