Don MacIntyre

On January 2, 2017, MacIntyre — while speaking to the press — asserted that human activity is not the primary cause of climate change.^[4] This conflicts with the current scientific opinion on climate change, which asserts a 95% confidence that climate change is caused primarily by human activities.

The Alberta New Democratic Party — which held a majority government in the legislature — responded by requesting that the Wildrose Party – the official opposition – remove Don MacIntyre from his position as energy critic. Leduc-Beaumont NDP MLA Shaye Anderson said, "It’s irresponsible to lend climate change-denying conspiracies the credibility of the office of the Official Opposition. Unless (Wildrose Leader Brian) Jean agrees with what Mr. MacIntyre is saying, he must remove him from his position."^[5]

The Wildrose Party responded by issuing a statement that, "We get calls daily from Albertans living in NDP-held ridings furious that their MLAs are not listening to their opposition to the carbon tax. I suggest they spend their time listening to those concerns,"^[6] – in reference to the $20 per tonne carbon tax put in place by the Alberta government.^[7]

MacIntyre resigned his seat as legislative representative for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake in February 2018, near the time he was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference involving a girl under the age of 16. The actions occurred between five and ten times between 2010 and 2011 and, during the trial, MacIntyre claimed that his actions were done during a dark period of his life and part of Satan's plan.^[8] He also told his victim during the actions that God had approved the abuse.^[9]

On January 11, 2019, MacIntyre pled guilty to sexual interference and was sentenced to three years in prison, while the charge of sexual assault was withdrawn.^[3]