EDMONTON—Global human rights organization Amnesty International condemned the Alberta government’s “fight back” strategy Tuesday, saying the energy “war room” and a public inquiry into allegedly foreign-funded anti-oil and gas campaigns could potentially violate charter rights.

But a constitutional law expert says that while the United Conservatives’ tactics could be “treading close to the line,” the steps the government has taken so far don’t meet the bar for violating freedom of expression.

Premier Jason Kenney government’s launched its $30-million energy war room earlier this year to create an information campaign aimed at correcting what it sees as misinformation on various media platforms about Alberta’s energy sector.

The provincial government also set up a $2.5-million independent inquiry into what it describes as a foreign-funded campaign of defamation against Alberta’s energy sector, and on Monday, the inquiry launched a website — AlbertaInquiry.ca — where people are encouraged to submit information. The government is looking into allegations that foreign interests like the Tides Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers’ Fund are funding environmental groups in Canada to oppose things like pipelines.

Critics have slammed the initiatives as akin to a “witch hunt” that could fuel divisiveness on social media and the government silencing of environmentalists who speak out against the oil and gas industry.

In an open letter addressed to Kenney dated Sept. 10, Amnesty International says the organization is “deeply concerned that these initiatives undermine and violate a range of Alberta’s human rights obligations.” The mandate for the war room and public inquiry is so broad, the letter reads, that the group worries anyone simply criticizing the oil and gas industry could be subject to being discredited or silenced.

Amnesty International urged Kenney to halt the initiatives as they currently stand, saying they contribute to “a worsening climate of hostility towards human rights defenders — particularly Indigenous, women, and environmental human rights defenders — exposing them to intimidation and threats, including threats of violence.”

The non-profit raised further concerns about possible violations of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as international law, “including freedom of expression, freedom of association, the rights of Indigenous peoples and gender equality.”

Amnesty International is a non-profit based in London, but has offices all over the world, including Canada, and advocates in human rights cases.

University of Ottawa law professor Carissima Mathen said she can see how aspects of Alberta’s strategy might not be consistent with the “spirit of the charter” to encourage full and free debate. But that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s active interference in people’s right to speak.

“A little bit of caution goes up in talking about this tip line, but you’d need to see a lot more. How is this information being used? If it’s actually being used to target people, you might have a stronger argument, but that would require additional facts,” Mathen said.

“If the state is indicating you might be subject to blowback or negative consequences for engaging in what is clearly charter-protected expression, that would definitely be an issue,” she added. “But I’m not sure we’re there yet.”

When asked by a reporter about the letter at an event Tuesday, Kenney said the notion that the government’s strategy could violate human rights is “beyond ridiculous.”

“I started an Amnesty International club when I was in high school when it used to actually fight for releasing prisoners of conscience,” he said. “Now it’s fighting to protect foreign-funded billionaires from transparency when they’re funding a campaign to landlock Canadian energy? That makes absolutely no sense.”

“We’re going to demand transparency. Who is funding this campaign? And why?”

Amnesty International outlined several ways the Alberta government could ensure the initiatives don’t negatively impact human rights.

That includes making sure public funds aren’t used to harass or set up surveillance on those defending human rights, specifically Indigenous peoples and others who criticize the government’s agenda.

Duff Conacher, co-founder of the non-profit government accountability group Democracy Watch, said Tuesday that there’s nothing inherently wrong with setting up a process for people to complain about potential wrongdoing.

But he’s concerned that the system announced Monday isn’t bound by secure whistleblower protections, and he said that could put people who submit to the inquiry at risk.

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Other agencies that collect information from whistleblowers have rules about protecting people who report to them, which he doesn’t see with the Alberta inquiry.

“A full system would say if you contacted them in a way that they would know your identity, they would be very specifically empowered and required to keep your identity anonymous,” Conacher said, “They would protect you actively through the whole process of investigating your allegations.”

The inquiry website says that emailing the address to submit information acknowledges agreement to the privacy policy and terms and conditions, which state that none of the submissions to the website will be subject to any confidentiality by the inquiry.

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