CALGARY—Premier-designate Jason Kenney thanked an Alberta energy expert Monday for quitting the Alberta Energy Regulator board “a day before we could fire him.”

Ed Whittingham resigned from the regulator on Sunday citing “smear” tactics by Kenney and his United Conservative Party as well as fundamental disagreements over the incoming government’s energy policies.

The AER is a government corporation that is tasked with overseeing the development and management of the province’s energy resources, while also protecting water and the environment.

Whittingham, who led the Pembina Institute environmental think tank from 2011 to 2017 and pushed for a cap on oilsands emissions, was named to the board in February.

From Day 1, Whittingham says he was “subjected to a smear campaign without precedent in Alberta for a public appointment held by a private citizen,” according to his resignation letter.

Whittingham said he knew resigning was on the table when Kenney made him a target as part of his promise to scrap the AER board entirely.

Read more: Environmentalist’s appointment to Alberta Energy Regulator board rankles United Conservatives

On the provincial election campaign trail, Kenney attacked Whittingham’s work with the Pembina Institute, claiming he had sabotaged Alberta’s oil sector. In March, UCP MLA Jason Nixon said Whittingham’s past opposition to some energy projects made his appointment to the AER board “not acceptable to Albertans.”

Whittingham told Star Calgary that he is not “anti-oil,” but rather “pro-responsible development.” He says comments to the contrary were meant to “discredit what I stand for, my career and my reputation.”

In his tweet Monday, Kenney reiterated his accusations of “economic sabotage.”

Whittingham said he cannot support the incoming government’s energy policies, in particular Kenney’s promise to scrap the oilsands emissions cap.

Kenney and his cabinet are to be sworn in Tuesday.

Whittingham argued one of the UCP’s other core promises — to get the Trans Mountain expansion project under construction — could be negatively affected by scrapping the limit. He said he thinks the move would put the federal government in a hard spot, delaying the project further.

“I support jobs, I support the economy and I support a pipeline that responsibly transports oil,” he said.

Whittingham said the polarizing tactic of labelling people or parties as being pro-oil or anti-oil isn’t a fair representation of the issue. He wants dialogue with oil and gas companies, and said through his career he has seen the benefit of that dialogue.

“We agreed on much,” he said. “To take us back to a time when it’s black and white … I think it’s taking us in the wrong direction.”

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Whittingham said the incoming government was dismissive of his resignation.

“Let’s call it a case of irreconcilable differences,” he said, adding that he’s had “tremendous” support and knows the rest of the AER will be on his side if Kenney follows through with replacing them.

“I hope I’m creating a bit of space for people to raise valid concerns,” he said.

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