BC's interim Liberal Leader has issued a statement about documents showing the Liberals invited oil and gas companies to help shape language contained in the province's Climate Leadership Plan. The documents were obtained by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives through a freedom of information request.
Rich Coleman, who also served as the Minister of Minister of Natural Gas Development at the time, says the consultations ensured the plan would maintain strong economic growth while meeting B.C.'s greenhouse gas reduction targets.
As for the meetings being held in the board offices of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Coleman says that is where the majority of the oil and gas industry are based, therefore the most convenient and efficient location for consultations.
The BC Branch of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives said, given that the Petroleum group had donated $4-million to the Liberals, allowing them to weigh in on a working group's recommendations after the fact was highly inappropriate, and resulted in a watered down, and weak Climate Action Plan.
Coleman maintains consultations occurred with a number of stakeholders prior to release of BC's Climate Leadership Plan release, which he says is appropriate.