Syncrude Canada Ltd.'s oil sands processing facility stands in Fort McMurray, Alberta, pictured Tuesday, June 29, 2010. Canada's oil sands, a mixture of sand, clay, water and a heavy oil called bitumen, contain the world's second largest proven concentration of crude oil reserves at about 170 billion barrels. In a report released Oct. 4, 2012, Syncrude was proven not responsible for the deaths of 1,600 ducks after they landed in toxic ponds due to harsh weather conditions.Jimmy Jeong/The Associated Press
Politics Insider delivers premium analysis and access to Canada's policymakers and politicians. Visit the Politics Insider homepage for insight available only to subscribers.
It was among the most high-profile gigs in Alberta's government staff – press secretary to the Environment Minister.
In that role, Mark Cooper was spokesman for a ministry in the spotlight as Alberta faces mounting questions about the effects of energy development, defending the province's record in mitigating the impact of the oil sands. From there, Mr. Cooper became spokesman for Cal Dallas, Alberta's minister of international and intergovernmental relations. It's Mr. Dallas who travels, promoting, for instance, the province's pipeline projects.
Now, Mr. Cooper has a new gig – with the foremost voice of the oil sector.
The former government spokesman has joined the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) as manager of oil sands communications, with the blessing of the provincial ethics watchdog, days after leaving Mr. Dallas's office. After years defending Alberta's track record, he's now tasked with defending that of the industry.
"CAPP seeks to hire skilled and qualified people. Mark Cooper's considerable experience communicating on oil sands environment and trade matters make him well-qualified for work in the oil sands industry," Janet Annesley, CAPP's vice-president of communications, said in a written statement.
Mr. Cooper added: "I'm very much looking forward to the next chapter in my career and representing this important industry."
Alberta's government has long been said by critics to be cozy with the oil sector. For example, the province just hired Gerry Protti – CAPP's founding president – to run the province's new Energy Regulator. That appointment drew much criticism from those who said the regulator needs to firmly hold industry in line, and that industry veterans are ill-suited to do so.
Alberta has some restrictions on what public staff, including Mr. Cooper, can do shortly after leaving government. CAPP says Mr. Cooper's move was approved by the ethics commissioner.
Alberta's Conflict of Interest Act forbids provincial "political staff," for six months after they leave, from taking a job with an agency with which they "had significant official dealings during the former political staff member's last year of service..." Those significant dealings are later defined as anything "directly and substantively involved in that matter." Anyone found guilty under the clause could face a fine of up to $50,000.
What "substantively involved" means varies on a case-by-case basis.
"It's always a question of fact in each particular instance. And we can't make any kind of a comment or determination without having the facts," said Bradley Odsen, Alberta's Lobbyists Act Registrar. "It's not at all uncommon for people who have been political staff members to go and work for an organization with which their department had peripheral dealings."
One Alberta advocate called on the Ethics Commissioner to review the case. CAPP later responded by saying the move, including a six-month internal "cooling off period," had been given the Ethics Commissioner's blessing.
"We would love to see the Ethics Commissioner review this particular case, because it's clearly someone who has built up their corporate connections through their position with the provincial government," said Bill Moore-Kilgannon, executive director at Public Interest Alberta, an agency that has long pushed for overhauls to Alberta's lobbying rules.
"I think most Albertans know that the [governing] P.C. party has a very close, incestuous relationship with the oil and gas industry. But that doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye to the blatant revolving between government and the corporate sector," he said.
Federal law is more strict. Some former federal "office holders" are banned from lobbying, or working for a lobbying firm, for five years. Federal conflict of interest law requires a two-year cooling off period before a former government staff member can take a job with an "entity with which they had direct and significant official dealings in the year preceding their last day in public office."
Mr. Dallas, the last minister Mr. Cooper worked with, released a short statement: "Mark was a respected member of the team and I wish him all the best as he pursues the next chapter of his career."
Editor's note: This version has been updated with additional comment from CAPP.
Josh Wingrove is a parliamentary reporter in the Ottawa bureau. He covered the Alberta legislature from 2010 to 2013.