Environment charities may benefit from new Alberta premier’s vow to fight them

EDMONTON — Alberta’s incoming premier plans to take on environmental charities that he says are blocking exports of the province’s oil, but those groups may be saying “bring it on.”

In his victory speech on Tuesday night, Jason Kenney repeated his promise that he will fight back against U.S.-funded groups that he accuses of economic sabotage by preventing Alberta from exporting oil in any direction but south.

When the federal Conservative government under Stephen Harper tried the same thing by auditing environmental charities, their donations skyrocketed.

One group nearly quadrupled its donations between 2012 and 2013.

Many groups dispute the contention that their revenues come from American foundations.

The David Suzuki Foundation, which Kenney mentioned in his speech, says 90 per cent of its donations come from Canadians — and two-thirds of those are from individuals.

Other groups Kenney mentioned don’t focus on Canada.

The Rockefeller Foundation spends the vast majority of its funds fighting climate change in the United States.

The Canadian Press

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