Alberta's energy 'war room' targeted by environmental activists, minister says

The same kind of activists that have goneafter pipeline projects and tried to discredit regulators are nowtargeting Alberta's energy 'war room,' says the province's energy minister.

"We recognize that it hasn't been a smooth launch," Sonya Savage told reportersWednesday.

"There's been somebumps. That was to be expected. I mean the Canadian Energy Centre has been targeted by the same environmental activists and green left that went after every single pipeline project that got killed."

She made the remarks in response to questions about the centre's performance and how Albertansperceive the organization.

She didn't point a finger atspecific groupsbut said she's seen such "organized opposition"used before to undermine pipeline projects andthe National Energy Board.

"That said, we're not stopping," Savage said in Calgary.

"We need the Canadian Energy Centre now more than ever."

Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist for Greenpeace Canada,has been critical of the centrebut laughed at the notion there's an organized environmental campaign against it.

"It's like you bought a $30-million rake and you keep stepping on it," Stewart said in an interview.

"The war room itself is doing the best possible job of discrediting that whole effort."

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The provincelaunched the centre in December with a $30-million annual budget.

Itwas part of the "fight-back" strategy theUnited Conservative Party campaigned on during the April 2019 election.

But the centre has faced criticism amid a number of missteps, includinga recent series of social media blunders targeting the New York Times that prompted an apology from its managing director.

At a news conference last week, Premier JasonKenneyrefused to evaluate the performance of the CEC. Instead, he said he was looking forward to thelaunch of its major marketing programs.

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Savage also stood by the centre Wednesday.

She anticipates the organizationwill beless active on social mediawhile prioritizing other areas of its mandate, such asprovidingenergy research and statistics, as well as launching atraditional advertising campaign.

Stewart said the centre has a tough job ahead, though,trying to advance arguments that were great campaign slogansbut don'tpass muster with investors concerned about the future of fossil fuels.

"Change is coming whether Jason Kenney wants it or not," he said.