British Columbia’s attorney general has called for an investigation into possible violations of provincial law after a Canadian oil and gas executive claimed the company improperly used political connections to “dramatically’’ weaken the province’s environmental policies.
In the presentation, they allege that the company had worked to shift the views of BC premier David Eby, who has over recent years appeared to soften his previously stated position that it would not be possible to continue expanding fossil-fuel infrastructure and still meet climate goals.“We’ve had some really remarkable results in terms of our message being repeated back to us by key decision-makers in government,” Iliffe can be heard saying.
Iliffe also claimed the company strategically placed people “so they can bump into” key government figures at the airport terminals or grocery stores over the weekend. He said such an approach allowed for a “remarkable conversation” that switched between “personal and professional that advances our initiatives”.
In an emailed statement to the Narwhal, a spokesperson for Premier Eby’s office called Iliffe’s claims “false and defamatory”, adding that “no one could provide any evidence in support of his claims”.