Here is a Lump of Coal, my final ABlawg post of the year with @drewyewchuk.bsky.social dealing with 2 coal law & policy developments in AB. One deals with Alberta’s Phoenix, Northback’s Grassy Mountain project, poised to rise from the ashes while seeking to avoid federal review. 1/2 #ableg #abpoli

The AER has weakened the protections for mining reclamation surety bonds. They do not provide any reasons for the change or explain who asked for this change. I still think accepting surety bonds instead of cash or letter of credit is a mistake, and this makes it worse. www.aer.ca/about-aer/me...

It took me a week to get to it but I'm enjoying reading Justice Feasby's judgment from last week on the secession referendum initiative. Lots of zingers sprinkled throughout the judgment but I particularly liked this one: #ableg #abpoli 2025 ABQB 712

This is about as bad as it gets. The auditor general has revealed the UCP government is lying to the public about healthcare reform. A must read for Albertans of all political stripes.

BC developed a new flood strategy after the devastating impacts of the 2021 atmospheric river But it's still not funded and the province decided against committing new $$ to it in September Now the Fraser Valley's flooding again #bcpoli

Smith Bulldozes Canadian Constitution Over Trans Kid Bills No evidence. None. @ABDanielleSmith has not produced one shred of evidence to prove that trans children are being harmed. In fact, the data says the opposite. Interview with @duanebratt.bsky.social. #ableg youtu.be/YLHmb9Ksd5Y

Events are more absurd and nightmarish every day.

⛰️ Protect our water and protest the Grassy Mountain coal mine 🚫 If you're in Lethbridge, join the peaceful protest happening this MONDAY, Dec. 8 at 11 a.m. at Coast Lethbridge Hotel & Conference Centre. See the poster for more details:

Thank you Justice Feasby.

Meet Teresa from Vermillion, #Alberta. Teresa’s story is but one of thousands from Alberta landowners living with the fallout of leaking oil and gas wells and a #regulator that won’t protect them. Learn more >> ecojustice.ca/news/landown... TAKE ACTION >> www.cleanupyourmess.ca/write-your-mla

Glyphosate herbicide safety study retracted 25 years after publication An influential research article that claimed a popular weed-killer was safe has been retracted 25 years after it was published, prompting environmental groups in Canada to ask th... #cbc #cbc-top-stories #Canada

Exclusive: Alberta oil regulator stopped enforcing gas flaring limits after government pressure, documents show reut.rs/4rCQsMz

The AER introduced a new liability management program for rock hosted minerals (limestone, zinc, copper) etc. (static.aer.ca/prd/document...) The basic principle "Approval holders must provide 100% security for the estimated liabilities associated with their ... project." (1/3)

Good interview. @robbreakenridge.bsky.social does a nice job of introducing citizen initiatives & Corb an equally good job of explaining why we need clear legislation to prohibit coal mining activities in the eastern slopes. #ableg #abpoli @cpawssab.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlGm...

For months @ainsliecruickshank.bsky.social has been pouring over documents trying to find out how many animals are killed on train tracks in B.C. Companies are supposed to report rail kills but records she obtained found reporting is inconsistent and incomplete projects.thenarwhal.ca/collision-co...

Finally, Federal-Provincial peace for our times. I find it shameful that the federal government is making this kind of deal while ignoring Alberta's use of the notwithstanding clause. The backbone of a decent country is a system of values, not a pipeline.

The Justice, Ecology, Law and Place (JELP) community invites applications to its 4th Grad Student Workshop! The workshop allows students whose work broadly relate to JELP to network and get feedback in a friendly atmosphere. Deadline Dec 17, 2025, see link for more. www.linkedin.com/posts/pierre...

Recent OIPC decision shows extend of access to information delay. Initial request in Oct 2020, record release in April 2021. 5 years from initial request to an OIPC decision ordering release. Re Alberta Forestry and Parks, 2025 CanLII 114897,<https://canlii.ca/t/kgd5q>

New Post: The Mess We’re In: Insights from the 1st International Colloquium on Closure Liabilities in the Energy Sector ablawg.ca/2025/11/21...…he-energy-sector/

"A piecemeal approach that fails to address a root cause of climate change — BC’s expanding LNG industry — will fail to protect our health and health-care system.” Kudos on ecolens.ca, but BC must do more. My comments @vancouversun.bsky.social. vancouversun.com/news/bc-cdc-... @cape-acme.bsky.social

A first for Alberta - a legislative petition, not just a policy petition, demanding the prohibition of all new coal mines (including Grassy) on the eastern slopes of the Rockies. Way to go Corb. #ableg #abpoli @cpawsnab.bsky.social @cpawssab.bsky.social @albertawilderness.bsky.social

And the Alberta government statement on Trans day of remembrance reminds me of this classic gag.

The new Bill 13 is an extension of this fight, effectively giving the JCCF what they wanted.

New Post: The Nuclear Option: An Update on Alberta’s Legislation Targeting Trans and Gender Diverse Youth ablawg.ca/2025/11/19...…er-diverse-youth/

Consider how the AER explains the bad news about the rising orphan inventory: September 2025: web.archive.org/web/20250909... October 2025: www.aer.ca/data-and-per...

New Post: Major Projects and the Building Canada Act: New list of PONIs or PHONIs? ablawg.ca/2025/11/14...…-ponis-or-phonis/

Comparing what is occurring in the decarbonization energy revolution to the space race: it is as if the Soviets had launched sputnik, and the U.S. responded by declaring the moon is fake.

Significantly fewer people are requesting government records in B.C., causing advocates to worry the decline signals eroding government transparency and a loss of trust in public institutions. @amandafollett.bsky.social reports. #bcpoli #foi

New court decision on AlphaBow Energy Ltd. , 2025 ABKB 622, <https://canlii.ca/t/kg6fc> (para 38) "Even if the Regulatory Exception were stayed during the currency of these CCAA proceedings, upon exiting, AlphaBow will no longer benefit from a stay of proceedings, and,

Part of a general UCP policy of gutting or defunding (or in some cases both) accountability mechanisms. We see the same thing in access to information where inadequate funding leads to delays & dysfunction as demonstrated by @drewyewchuk.bsky.social in many @ablawg.bsky.social posts. #abpoli #ableg

Starting October 23, 2025, the AER dashboard shows another 21 companies not in compliance with the 2024 Annual Mandatory Closure Spend Quotas, but bizarrely marks each administrative sanction one day ahead, so they extend out to mid-November. (1/2)

No money for teachers? That's because energy executives keep getting their wish. Join us on Nov. 5 in Calgary to learn how Albertans are fighting coal mining in the Rockies and another govt handout to oil and gas companies. Info & RSVP here: www.cleanupyourmess.ca/nov5-calgary... #ABLeg #ABPoli

In a decision yesterday, the ABCA stated that "academic freedom exists to protect all scholarship, including that which may be unpopular or politically targeted." So-called 'activism' is still "research" + "teaching" exempted from FOIP applications. See 2025 ABCA 350, canlii.ca/t/kg5f3 at [40-42].

And here's that post with @drewyewchuk.bsky.social #abpoli #ableg ablawg.ca/2025/10/23/t...

What is "the Alberta Energy Regulator’s workplan"? It is referenced in the new Mandate letter for the Minister of energy and minerals and other government press releases, but I have not seen even a description of it. Is it a plan to implement Yager's review of the AER? (1/2)

A powerful Op Ed from Douglas Stollery who was Co-Counsel on Vriend v. Alberta. “Just as we defended the dignity and Charter rights of gay people then, we must defend the dignity and Charter rights of trans people now.” #abpoli #cdnpoli #ableg www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

This Alberta government announcement dances around the term 'fracking'. I am fairly certain the silica sand's use is for fracking, but because fracking is so unpopular even the Alberta government tries not to mention it. www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?...

An update on what the JCCF is up to, and on the challenges to cultural competency requirements at the Law Society of Alberta.

LIVE Oct 16 - Drill & Dash: The Oil & Gas Liability Crisis @molszyns.bsky.social, Associate Professor at the University of Calgary, joins EvC to unpack Alberta's mounting energy liability crisis. Register and join on October 16 at 4pm ET/2pm MT: www.energyvsclimate.com/invite-drill...

The need for metallurgical coal is coming to an end, and everyone knew that at the last hearing for Grassy Mountain. I really hope they don't force me to go to another hearing about that mine...

B.C. coal giant penalized $3.6 million for treatment delays, 171 pollution breaches www.biv.com/news/environ... via @stefanlabbe.bsky.social

A must-read, if you believe that the Government of Alberta should be held accountable to keeping Alberta's water clean, clear (and drinkable!) for communities, at-risk species, and our environment. #MountainsNotMines #WaterNotCoal

The British empire was an evil empire. They didn't spread freedom or liberty, they didn't spread civilization, and they didn't spread good governance. That's the 'truth' part. The Canadian legal system is still searching for a way to process that and adjust its self-understanding.

Better late than never: our 18 pp (!) analysis of #ableg's so-called Mature Asset Strategy (w/ Shaun Fluker and @drewyewchuk.bsky.social). TLDR: the MAS is a thinly disguised attempt to rewrite the origin story of Alberta's O&G closure liability crisis and to push more gov't support & deregulation.

Alberta's new electricity market is a further blow to renewables and could increase power bills. All of the uncertainty created by the government and the new market reforms have also put a chill on investment. We break it down. thenarwhal.ca/alberta-rest... #ableg #cdnpoli

For anyone not in Alberta or not paying attention, girls playing sports in school now have to prove they were born female to play sports. And can be challenged by anyone at anytime and must prove they are female to keep playing. This doesn’t apply to boys. What a dystopian hellscape

Last week, we released our Early Estimate of National Emissions, which showed 🇨🇦’s emissions progress stalled in 2024, with the 2030 target now out of reach. Join us on Oct. 2, 1pm ET to learn more and ask questions about our findings. Register here 👇 climateinstitute.ca/events/ask-m...

🛢️ Oil companies made billions 🏠 Left toxic wells near our homes 💰 Now want US to pay for cleanup 🚨 SAVE THE DATE: Oct 2, 7PM MT Virtual Town Hall - expose the scam, take action together. Register here: www.cleanupyourmess.ca/oct2-townhall #CleanUpYourMess #ABLeg #ABPoli #YYC #YEG

The U.S. is not going to be a reliable ally on any international issue for anyone in the foreseeable future. That really shakes things up...