The rain is also impacting my sit spot. I\u2019ve decided to pace my spot today \u2013 determined to engage with this space but avoiding my usual comfortable bench to keep my clothes dry. The rain is making everything look a little blurry \u2013 particularly the sparse bushes across the park. Colours are muted, and everything is morphing into a gray haze. This haze is beautiful in its own way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the hazy logic and smoke and mirrors I saw play out in Alberta\u2019s political sphere this week is anything from beautiful. In fact, it\u2019s a perfect example of disinformation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The final report of the Public Inquiry into Anti-Albertan Energy Campaigns<\/a> was made public this week. This inquiry was launched in 2019 by the Alberta government to investigate funds from American foundations that were used in campaigns against Alberta\u2019s fossil fuel industries. After three extensions and a million dollars over budget (Johnson, 2021), the final report came to light. The report concluded there was no evidence of legal wrongdoing by environmental groups (in fact, these groups were exercising their right to free speech), and the report\u2019s author further concluded that \u201cI am not in a position to find that these campaigns alone caused project delays or cancellations\u201d of energy projects (Allan, 2021, p. 14). So, we can all rest easy knowing that our democracy is working as it should, and move on from this expensive and unnecessary inquiry, correct?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Minister of Energy Sonya Savage used this as an opportunity to share her<\/em> opinion on the report. Despite the report finding there is no link between foreign funds entering Canada and the cancellation of energy projects, Minister Savage stated in an interview with CBC news<\/a>, \u201cyou just have to look at our large pipeline projects\u2026 to see there is a clear link\u201d (CBC News, 2021). This isn\u2019t just misinformation \u2013 this is dis<\/em>information – intentionally ignoring the results of a public inquiry to fit a preplanned message. It was a deliberate attempt to misdirect the conversation away from the findings of the report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At a press conference on Oct 21<\/a>, Minister Savage shared: \u201cIn my 13 years working in the energy sector, I personally saw the evidence of these campaigns as they targeted pipelines\u2026 I could see the antics and tactics of these campaigns on the ground\u201d (Government of Alberta, 2021). She continued, \u201cWhile these [environmental groups] boasted, Albertans were hurt. People lost their jobs, businesses went under, families were hurt.\u201d The actual results of the report were barely referenced at the press conference. Instead, we heard Minister Savage\u2019s interpretation <\/em>of the findings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Minister Savage relied on several central tenants of effective communication and disinformation in her press conference speech. She relied on the fact that people trust messengers who hold similar views (Armstrong et al., 2018), so she emphasized that she had worked in the energy sector for more than a decade. She evoked populism, framing boastful well-funded environmental groups pitted against everyday Albertans, pointedly ignoring that many Albertans work for the same environmental groups she referenced. She also relied on personal anecdotes (\u201cI personally saw\u2026\u201d) rather than emphasizing the conclusions of the report. Both techniques \u2013 relying on populist sentiments and personal anecdotes \u2013 have been identified by Lewandowsky as practices of disinformation (2020).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our week 4 prompt asked us to tell an anecdote about an experience at our sit spot that connects to climate action. My experience \u2013 the heavy and unseasonal rain – makes me think about how Halloween is changing for kids in Calgary due to climate change. But the rain also makes me think about how truth is becoming cloudy and more difficult to discern. Everyone knows that Halloween is just playful deceit (using costumes to get candy from strangers). However, when an elected official intentionally spreads misinformation, there is nothing playful about it. Minister Savage is entitled to her feelings about the public inquiry report. What she is not entitled to is to use her feelings and her position as an elected official to misinterpret information for Albertans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How can one respond effectively to disinformation and misdirection from elected officials about climate change? <\/p>\n\n\n\n References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Allan, J.S. (2021). Report of the Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns. <\/em>Government of Alberta. https:\/\/open.alberta.ca\/dataset\/3176fd2d-670b-4c4a-b8a7-07383ae43743\/resource\/a814cae3-8dd2-4c9c-baf1-cf9cd364d2cb\/download\/energy-report-public-inquiry-anti-alberta-energy-campaigns-2021.pdf<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Armstrong, A.K., Schuldt, J.P., & Krasny, M.E. (2018). Establishing trust. Communicating climate change: A guide for educators. <\/em>Cornell University Press. Ebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CBC News. (2021, October 22). Alberta public inquiry finds no wrongdoing by anti-oilsands activists <\/em>[Video]. <\/em>YouTube. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=1mha4PX1_I8<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2019). Canada\u2019s Changing Climate Report.<\/em> https:\/\/changingclimate.ca\/site\/assets\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/CCCR_FULLREPORT-EN-FINAL.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Government of Alberta [YourAlberta]. (2021, October 21). Release of public inquiry report \u2013 October 21, 2021 <\/em>[Video]. YouTube. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9cSZL62l-d4<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Johnson, L. (2021, October 22). No evidence of wrongdoing found in Allan inquiry report into \u2018anti-Alberta\u2019 campaigns. Edmonton Journal.<\/em> https:\/\/edmontonjournal.com\/news\/politics\/long-awaited-allan-inquiry-report-into-anti-alberta-campaigns-released<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/webspace.royalroads.ca\/aspark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/912\/2021\/10\/Bushes-cropped-1024x793.jpg\")
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