Alberta Energy Regulator's Own Commissioners Dismayed at CEO's Corrupt and Unlawful Secret Dealings with the Devils from Down Under
Now is the time for anti-coal coalition to stop legitimizing bogus AER process. We must cease all relations with AER, except to sue it for malfeasance.
The Globe and Mail today reported internal emails among AER commissioners expressing dismay at the corrupt behaviour of their CEO Rob Morgan with respect to two Australian coal speculators with mining schemes currently under AER review.
“Internal e-mails between hearing commissioners at Alberta’s energy watchdog detail concerns that the conduct of chief executive Rob Morgan on two separate occasions could ‘undermine the authority and autonomy’ of their work,” reported the Globe’s energy reporter Emma Graney.
In our view at Crowsnest Headwaters, now is the time for no-coal coalition members to stop legitimizing the bogus AER process. The captured regulator has lost its integrity — by the admission of its own commissioners.
Here are fair-use extracts of the Globe and Mail article:
A series of e-mails between Mr. Morgan, a coal-mining company and the Alberta Energy Minister’s office about a mine application had earlier raised questions about the independence of the Alberta Energy Regulator. And the latest documents show worries within the agency itself.
The e-mails were uncovered by a freedom of information request by the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and shared with The Globe and Mail.
Sheldon Sunshine, Chief of Sturgeon Lake, said reading them was “frustrating.” He believes they undermine the independence of AER’s processes and said he would like to see an overhaul of the agency.
. . .
Northback had controversial exploration, drilling and water-diversion applications in front of the regulator at the time, and the meeting occurred less than a month before commissioners rendered a decision on May 15, 2025, that allowed the work to go ahead.
. . .
“Why on earth did they think it was appropriate to meet with Northback before the decision was issued?” commissioner Meg Barker wrote to her colleagues Alex Bolton, Parand Meysami, Shona Mackenzie and chief commissioner Andrew MacPherson.
“Messrs. Morgan and Au agreeing to meet with NB before the decision was issued was an egregious error in judgement and entirely inappropriate,” she wrote.
. . .
Mr. Bolton replied that he agreed the optics were “not good,” adding that such events “may undermine the integrity” of the hearings process.
. . .
Ms. Meysami replied that she was “very disappointed.”
“It is critical to preserve the trust of public, and maintain the legitimacy of the decision-making process by respecting these rules that the panel is completely independent and separate from day to day operation of the regulator,” she wrote.
Premier Danielle Smith rescinded Ms. Meysami’s appointment as a commissioner on Jan. 21. The office of the Energy Minister told The Globe this week it was an “HR/personnel” decision.
. . .
The second issue raised in the e-mails was Mr. Morgan’s decision to cancel an application hearing for a new coal mine – the first time in the agency’s history that any CEO had made such a move.
. . .
In an Aug. 23, 2025, email to Mr. MacPherson, commissioner Tracey Stock called Mr. Morgan’s decision “gravely concerning,” saying it “undermines the authority and autonomy of the HCO and appears likely inconsistent with law.”
For those with a Globe and Mail access account, here is the link:
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What will it take Pietro? How about an form of government that is
not conservative,
not set on separation,
not destroying our healthcare,
not destroying our education system,
not racist.
What did I miss?
What will it take to kick out this corrupt bunch?