Appeal court issues contradictory rulings on whether Alberta must divulge reasons for cabinet coal policy chaos
April 28 court case will focus on cabinet flip for, flop against, and re-flip for coal mining by Australian buccaneers.
Former energy minister Sonya Savage can be compelled to testify in the forthcoming case by four Australian coal speculators against the Alberta government, the Court of Appeal ruled February 18, 2025.
Incongruously, the same Court of Appeal had ruled January 24, that the government could keep secret cabinet records related to the very same issues.
Says University of Calgary law scholar Drew Yewchuk writing for ABLawg,
I will venture a prediction at what will happen next (if the litigation continues): former Minister Savage will appear for questioning (complying with Cabin Ridge CA) but then refuse to answer any useful questions about how Ministerial or cabinet decisions were made on the grounds the information is protected by cabinet confidentiality (complying with Black Eagle CA). Since the Court of Appeal in Cabin Ridge CA did not establish parameters for the questioning or address objections based on public interest immunity, the procedural deadlock will require another panel at the court of appeal to consider the question.
The irony is that the public want the same transparency as the mining companies.
Maybe she can discuss how the NDP first allowed mining on Cat 2 land in 2015.