AB Today – Daily Report January 21, 2020 Quotation of the day “Bring it on.” Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer reacts to Progress Alberta’s potential legal challenge to ​ ​ the government’s inquiry into foreign-funded environmentalism. Today in AB Premier watch Premier Jason Kenney released a video marking the Canadian Federation of Independent ​ ​ ​ ​ Business’ (CFIB) red tape reduction week. According to the CFIB, Alberta has a spot on both its “naughty” and its “nice” list. On the nice side, Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction Grant Hunter is nominated for a ​ ​ “Golden Scissors Award” for the department’s website taking suggestions to reduce red tape. However, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis commission has been deemed “naughty” and is nominated for a “Paperweight Award” for making craft brewers ship their product up to 600 kilometres for inspection. Kenney, Hunter and CFIB representatives will speak at Arn’s Equipment Ltd. in Calgary today, where the government will be graded on its first seven months of red tape initiatives. Today’s events January 21 at 9 a.m. — Calgary ​ ​ The UCP will hold a cabinet meeting at the McDougall Centre. January 21 at 11:30 a.m. — Calgary ​ ​ Premier Jason Kenney and Red Tape Reduction Minister Grant Hunter will tout the UCP's ​ ​ ​ ​ progress on eliminating red tape at Arn’s Equipment Ltd. January 21 at 11:30 a.m. — Edmonton ​ ​ NDP Finance critic Shannon Phillips will hold a news conference in the Federal Building to ​ ​ reveal data from private-sector economists on the performance on the UCP’s policies. January 21 at 1:30 p.m. — Hinton ​ ​ UCP MLA for West Yellowhead Martin Long will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for nine ​ ​ affordable housing units at the Happy Creek Estates development. January 21 at 5:30 p.m. PST — Victoria B.C. ​ ​ Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer will meet with his federal, provincial and territorial ​ ​ counterparts at the Delta Hotels Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort. Post-secondary institution funding will be tied to performance Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced Monday that Alberta will begin ​ ​ tying funding for post-secondary institutions to performance measures starting April 1. Beginning in the 2020-21 academic year, 15 per cent of the Campus Alberta Grant Funding will be tied to performance outcomes, increasing to 40 per cent by 2022-23. Post-secondary institutions’ performance will be measured by the following metrics: ● graduate employment rate; ● median graduate income; ● graduate skills and competencies; ● work-integrated learning opportunities; ● administrative expense ratio; ● sponsored research revenue; and ● enrolment. These measures will be weighted differently for each institution and schools will have the ability to add their own metrics, according to Nicholaides. The minister did not clarify how long after graduation metrics such as employment rate or graduate income would be calculated. If a college or university meets 100 per cent of its provincially mandated targets, it will receive all of its allocated funding. But if the institution only achieves 80 per cent of its targets, it will receive 80 per cent funding for that area. Nicolaides told reporters he hasn’t decided how the money held back from institutions for poor performance would be spent, but he suggested the cash could be used as an incentive for post-secondary schools that do hit their performance targets. Currently, post-secondary funding agreements are renewed annually, but Nicolaides said the province intends to move to three-year agreements. Alberta is not the first province to introduce a performance-based funding model. Last year, Ontario revealed its own metrics for university and college funding — which also included ​ employment and graduation rates — and by 2025 the province intends to tie 60 per cent of funding to performance. NDP, faculty group pan change while institutional leadership says it will protect investment NDP deputy leader Sarah Hoffman said the government’s plan will create red tape for ​ ​ post-secondary institutions — noting the announcement was made the same day the government celebrated red tape reduction week. “The UCP’s record when it comes to Advanced Education is tuition hikes, the elimination of education and tuition tax credits, increasing the interest on student loans, and cutting grant for universities and colleges,” she added in a statement. The Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations (CAFA) — a federation of faculty associations at the University of Alberta, Athabasca University, MacEwan University, Mount Royal University and the University of Lethbridge — said the outcome-based funding model will not achieve the goals of the UCP government. In a statement, CAFA cited a 1997-98 pilot project conducted by the Government of Alberta — a “funding envelope that was supposed to reward excellence and accountability” in the post-secondary sector — that did not produce meaningful improvements and was dumped by the province. Meanwhile, the Council of Post-Secondary Presidents of Alberta painted a rosier picture of the plan. “Throughout its history, Alberta has supported the development of one of the strongest and best-differentiated post-secondary systems in the country” the association said in a statement. “Albertans deserve a funding model that protects this investment.” Topics of conversation ● Following a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Winnipeg Monday, Manitoba ​ ​ Premier Brian Pallister says he will table a new provincial climate change strategy that ​ ​ ​ ​ could include a carbon tax. ○ “Political science is fine before an election. Now let's talk environmental science. We're prepared to be measured on our green plan, and we want acceptance of our made-in-Manitoba green strategies. We want the respect we deserve as a province,” Pallister said post-meeting. ○ Like Alberta, Manitoba has filed a legal challenge to the federal government’s carbon pricing backstop. ● The Rural Municipalities of Alberta surveyed rural governments and found oil and gas ​ ​ companies owe $173 million in unpaid taxes — a 114 per cent increase from the $81 million identified in a similar survey conducted less than a year ago. ○ “If Alberta’s property tax system is not amended to prevent oil and gas companies from refusing to pay property taxes, many rural municipalities will struggle to remain viable,” RMA president Al Kemmere said in a news release. ​ ​ ○ In the survey, some municipalities said up to 98 per cent of unpaid taxes are due to the shallow gas industry. ● The panel appointed by Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addiction Jason Luan ​ to investigate the social and economic impacts of supervised consumption sites has wrapped up its work. ​ ○ The ministry is reviewing the panel’s recommendations, but there is no deadline for Luan to make a decision, leaving some supervised consumption site operators in limbo. ● Amir Attaran, a lawyer for non-profit registered third-party advertiser Progress Alberta, ​ sent a letter to Steve Allan, head of the public inquiry into anti-Alberta energy ​ ​ campaigns, threatening to sue the government and launch a constitutional challenge unless the inquiry shuts down. ○ Attaran and Progress Alberta executive director Duncan Kinney said they were ​ ​ both targeted by the UCP during the provincial election campaign, including in an April 13, 2019, news release that said Progress Alberta was working with American foundations to sabotage Alberta’s economy, a claim Kinney denies. ○ Kinney told AB Today he has not been contacted by Allan or the inquiry on the ​ ​ source of his funding, but he is worried about a “chilling effect” that will discourage donors. He said he has taken a personal pay cut as a result. ○ In response to the potential lawsuit, Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer told ​ ​ reporters at a news conference: “Bring it on.” ○ An interim report from Allan is due back to the government by the end of the month. ● Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher sent a second letter to Alberta ethics ​ ​ ​ ​ commissioner Marguerite Trussler, asking her to investigate potential conflict of ​ ​ interest. ○ Democracy Watch has alleged Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer’s appointment ​ ​ of Steve Allan, who is heading up the provincial inquiry into potential foreign ​ ​ funding of anti-oilsands activism, came after Allan urged fellow associates at the law firm Denton’s to vote for Schweitzer in the UCP leadership race. ○ Trussler responded to Democracy Watch’s first letter by saying the organization ​ ​ needed to provide “sufficient particulars” before she could launch an investigation. ● The Alberta Energy Regulator laid five charges against Tourmaline Oil Corp., Topaz Oil ​ ​ Corp. (formerly Exshaw Oil Corp.) and CWC Energy Services Corp. for a release of hydrogen sulphide that impacted human health. ​ ​ ○ The incident happened near Spirit River on February 25, 2018. ○ The first court appearance for the companies is scheduled on February 19 in the Grande Prairie court room. ● The Alberta RCMP again confirmed via Twitter that its investigation of alleged identity ​ ​ fraud in the 2017 UCP leadership remains ongoing. ● The Unite Alberta Twitter account added its operator to its bio. Harrison Fleming, ​ ​ ​ ​ deputy press secretary and special advisor of communications for Premier Jason ​ Kenney, is now listed along with the message that the account supports the premier and ​ “Team UCP.” ○ Previously, the account, which has attacked journalists and UCP critics, was anonymous,