Alberta
UPDATE: Edmonton teacher faces additional child luring charges
News release from ALERT (Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team)
Additional charges have been laid against an Edmonton teacher previously charged with child luring and child pornography offences.
In May, ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit received a tip from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in Florida who had information that Brennan Gorman may have had a connection with a missing teen.
Read the full news release here.
Gorman was subsequently arrested on May 20, 2023, at his St. Albert, Alta. home. The 27-year-old man was charged with child luring, making, transmitting, and possessing child pornography, in relation to sex offences he allegedly committed against a female youth in Parkland County.
On July 25, 2023, Gorman was rearrested in Parkland County for offences relating to his online engagement with the 14-year-old Florida teen and the Palm Beach Sheriff’s investigation. Gorman has been charged with additional counts of child luring, as well as making, transmitting, and possessing child pornography.
“In an era where boundaries can often seem invisible online, our partnerships demonstrate that commitment to justice go beyond international borders. Our collaboration stands as a testament to what can be achieved when agencies unite with a shared vision – ensuring the safety of our children and bringing predators to justice,” said a spokesperson with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.
“Our investigation didn’t stop when our suspect was arrested the May. Our team continued to partner with authorities in Florida and share evidence which ultimately led to these additional charges. We want to assure Albertans that even if investigations extend beyond our borders, we will do whatever it takes to prosecute children, regardless of their geographical location, and prosecute those who commit these horrific acts,” said Sgt. Kerry Shima, ALERT.
Gorman has been released from custody with numerous conditions. He is scheduled to appear in court on August 14, 2023.
ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.
From the Fraser Institute
By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.
Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.
In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.
Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.
The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.
Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.
Jock Finlayson
Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Undoubtedly some of the motorists driving past The Whistle Stop Cafe at Mirror on Tuesday morning thought it was an April Fools prank. It wasn’t.
Chris Scott, owner of the gas station at The Whistle Stop Cafe offered a one day promotion on April 1st. Scott sold 8000 litres of regular gasoline for $0.80/ litre.
The promotion was funded by Scott and the Alberta Prosperity Project. In this video posted to his social media, Chris Scott explains why they did it.
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