Mike De Souza
“Canada’s oilsands strategy includes lobbying against global warming measures: documents”
Postmedia News
21 November 2010
Three major departments in the federal government have been actively co-ordinating a communications strategy with Alberta and its fossil- fuel industry to fight international global-warming policies that “target” oilsands production, newly released federal documents reveal.
The documents, obtained by Postmedia News, suggest that Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, have collaborated on an “advocacy strategy” in the U.S. to promote the oilsands and discourage environmental-protection policies.
“The activities of the oil sands sector has emerged as one of the high priority files for the federal government,” wrote Natural Resources Canada policy adviser Paul Khanna in an email, on behalf of Kevin Stringer, the director of Petroleum Resources in the same department.
“As a result we have developed several products that provide the department’s views on oil sands development . . . and we have contributed (along with EC) to a DFAIT led ‘Advocacy Strategy’ on oil sands for the US.”
The email, dated Dec. 1, 2008, is part of hundreds of pages of documents released through an access-to-information request by Climate Action Network Canada.
The documents also include a powerpoint presentation outlining the communications strategy in 2009 and secret briefing notes that urge the natural resources minister to fight back against “well-orchestrated media campaigns” against the oilsands as well as “restrictive legislative and regulatory proposals that associate oil sands with ‘dirty oil.’”
“As a result we have developed several products that provide the department’s views on oil sands development . . . and we have contributed (along with EC) to a DFAIT led ‘Advocacy Strategy’ on oilsands for the US.”
The powerpoint presentation highlights the economic importance of the oilsands as a resource that places Canada second in world oil reserves, but also acknowledges that development is threatened by environmental concerns and climate policies from south of the border.
“US legislation at both federal and state levels potentially target oilsands production,” says a Natural Resources Canada powerpoint presentation from March 2009 called: Addressing Oil Sands Issues in the United States. “Some (environmental groups) have targeted oil sands in proactive, well financed and well organized `dirty oil’ campaigns.”
The Harper government has followed the U.S. in introducing regulations to crack down on tailpipe emissions from new cars, but it has not yet set any caps on pollution from the oilsands or other industrial sectors.
Meanwhile, the documents say the government is developing a “proactive outreach strategy” as part of its communications plan in partnership with other stakeholders, such as the oilsands industry and the Alberta government, which launched its own $25-million campaign in 2008.
“Engagement with (environmental groups) has been limited, but we will seek opportunities where we can,” says the powerpoint presentation.
The documents also reveal that the government is aware a majority of Canadians want stronger action to crack down on oilsands pollution. It highlighted public opinion research that suggests 72 per cent of Canadians want it to do more and that 79 per cent want emissions to be reduced from current levels. Greenhouse-gas pollution from the oilsands has tripled since 1990. The government’s research also suggests that 52 per cent of Canadians support a moratorium on new development until environmental issues are resolved.
The coalition that obtained the documents said the revelations may only represent the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of other international lobbying efforts by the Harper government, including recent letters sent to European politicians to discourage similar policies targeting pollution from the oilsands.
“There are states, there are regions, there are countries in this world that are trying to make progress to deal with the problem of climate change, and our government is actually trying to stand in their way,” said Graham Saul, executive director of Climate Action Network, which represents environmental, labour and faith-based groups concerned about global warming.
“(Canada has) actually created a monster that’s going into other countries and trying to undermine clean-energy and climate-change policy and that’s totally inexcusable and it’s outrageous.”
The documents also suggest that some staff at Environment Canada urged the government to be realistic in its communications plan about the footprint of oilsands development.
“Even though it is intended to show how Canada has its act together we should provide notes for (the deputy minister’s) use that point to areas where governments need to devote greater attention and possibly resources,” wrote
Peter Hale, an Environment Canada manager at the environmental-assessment and marine programs division in an email sent March 18, 2009.
“These could include, but are not limited to, ecosystem monitoring, the development of thresholds and new legislation where necessary.”
Natural Resources Canada, which describes itself as the lead federal department on oilsands issues, has previously been criticized in internal correspondence by senior Environment Canada officials for being too “pro- industry,” Postmedia News reported in January.
Environment Minister John Baird declined to be interviewed about the communications strategy, but a spokesman referred questions to Natural Resources Canada.
Paul Duchesne, manager of media relations at Natural Resources Canada, wrote in an email that his department’s communications goal was to deliver a “fact-based approach on all aspects of the oilsands issue, including environmental impacts, economic benefits and technological advancements.
Mike De Souza
“ In defence of the oilsands: Documents reveal
Canada’s oilsands‘ advocacy strategy
includes lobbying against global warming measures:
documents’”
Postmedia News
Ottawa Citizen
21
22
November 2010
A4
Three major departments in the federal government have been actively co-ordinating a communications strategy with Alberta and its fossil-fuel industry to fight international global-warming policies that “target” oilsands production, newly released federal documents reveal.
The documents, obtained by Postmedia News, suggest that Environment
Canada, Natural Resources Canada as well as the Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade, have collaborated on an “advocacy
strategy” in the U.S. United States to promote the
oilsands and discourage environmental-protection policies.
“The activities of the oil sands oilsands sector
has emerged as one of the high priority files for the federal
government,” wrote Natural Resources Canada policy adviser Paul Khanna
in an email, e-mail, on behalf of Kevin Stringer,
the director of Petroleum Resources in the same department.
“As a result we have developed several products that provide the
department’s views on oil sands oilsands
development . . . … and we have contributed (along
with EC) to a DFAIT led ‘Advocacy Strategy’ on oil
sands oilsands for the
US. U.S.”
The email, e-mail, dated Dec. 1, 2008, is part
of hundreds of pages of documents released through an
access-to-information request by Climate Action Network Canada.
The documents also include a
powerpoint PowerPoint presentation outlining the
communications strategy in 2009 and secret briefing notes that urge the
natural resources minister to fight back against “well-orchestrated
media campaigns” against the oilsands as well as “restrictive
legislative and regulatory proposals that associate oil sands with
‘dirty oil.’”
“As a result we have developed several products that provide
the department’s views on oil sands development . . . and we have
contributed (along with EC) to a DFAIT led ‘Advocacy Strategy’ on
oilsands for the US.”
The powerpoint PowerPoint presentation
highlights the economic importance of the oilsands as a resource that
places Canada second in world oil reserves, but also acknowledges that
development is threatened by environmental concerns and climate policies
from south of the border.
“US U.S. legislation at both federal and state
levels potentially target oilsands production,” says a Natural Resources
Canada powerpoint PowerPoint presentation from
March 2009 called: Addressing Oil Sands Issues in the United States.
“Some (environmental groups) have targeted oil
sands oilsands in proactive, well financed and well
well-organized `dirty oil’ ‘dirty
oil’ campaigns.”
The Harper government has followed the U.S. in introducing regulations
to crack down on tailpipe emissions from new cars, but it has not yet
set any caps on pollution from the oilsands or other industrial sectors.
Meanwhile, the documents say the government is developing a “proactive outreach strategy” as part of its communications plan in partnership with other stakeholders, such as the oilsands industry and the Alberta government, which launched its own $25-million campaign in 2008.
“Engagement with (environmental groups) has been limited, but we will
seek opportunities where we can,” says the
powerpoint PowerPoint presentation.
The documents also reveal that the government is aware a majority of Canadians want stronger action to crack down on oilsands pollution.
It highlighted public opinion research that suggests 72 per cent of Canadians want it to do more and that 79 per cent want emissions to be reduced from current levels.
Greenhouse-gas pollution from the oilsands has tripled since 1990. The government’s research also suggests that 52 per cent of Canadians support a moratorium on new development until environmental issues are resolved.
The coalition that obtained the documents said the revelations
may might represent only represent the
“tip of the iceberg” in terms of other international lobbying efforts by
the Harper government, including recent letters sent to European
politicians to discourage similar policies targeting pollution from the
oilsands.
“There are states, there are regions, there are countries in this
world that are trying to make progress to deal with the problem of
climate change, change and our government is
actually trying to stand in their way,” said Graham Saul, executive
director of Climate Action Network, which represents environmental,
labour and faith-based groups concerned about global warming.
“(Canada has) actually created a monster that’s going into other countries and trying to undermine clean-energy and climate-change policy and that’s totally inexcusable and it’s outrageous.”
The documents also suggest that some staff at Environment Canada urged the government to be realistic in its communications plan about the footprint of oilsands development.
“Even though it is intended to show how Canada has its act together we
should provide notes for (the deputy minister’s) use that point to areas
where governments need to devote greater attention and possibly
resources,” wrote
Peter Hale, an Environment Canada manager at the
environmental-assessment and marine programs division in an email sent
March 18, 2009.
“These could include, but are not limited to, ecosystem monitoring, the
development of thresholds and new legislation where necessary.”
Natural Resources Canada, which describes itself as the lead federal department on oilsands issues, has previously been criticized in internal correspondence by senior Environment Canada officials for being too “pro- industry,” Postmedia News reported in January.
Environment Minister John Baird declined to be interviewed about the communications strategy, but a spokesman referred questions to Natural Resources Canada.
Paul Duchesne, manager of media relations at Natural Resources
Canada, wrote in an email e-mail that his
department’s communications goal was to deliver a
“fact-“ fact-based approach on all aspects of the
oilsands issue, including environmental impacts, economic benefits and
technological advancements.”
Mike De Souza
“Canada’s Feds promote oilsands in
US: Advocacy strategy includes lobbying against global
warming measures: documents combats critics’ dirty-oil
charges”
Postmedia News
Edmonton Journal
21
22
November 2010
A1
Three major departments in the federal government have been actively co-ordinating a communications strategy with Alberta and its fossil-fuel industry to fight international global-warming policies that “target” oilsands production, newly released federal documents reveal.
The documents, obtained by Postmedia News, suggest that Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, have collaborated on an “advocacy strategy” in the U.S. to promote the oilsands and discourage environmental-protection policies.
“The activities of the oil sands oilsands sector
has emerged as one of the high priority files for the federal
government,” wrote Natural Resources Canada policy adviser Paul Khanna
in an email, e-mail, on behalf of Kevin Stringer,
the director of Petroleum Resources in the same department.
“As a result we have developed several products that provide the
department’s views on oil sands oilsands
development . . . and we have contributed (along with EC) to a DFAIT led
‘Advocacy Strategy’ on oil sands oilsands for the
US. U.S.”
The email, e-mail, dated Dec. 1, 2008, is part
of hundreds of pages of documents released through an
access-to-information request by Climate Action Network Canada.
The documents also include a powerpoint presentation outlining the
communications strategy in 2009 and secret briefing notes that urge the
natural resources minister to fight back against “well-orchestrated
media campaigns” against the oilsands as well as “restrictive
legislative and regulatory proposals that associate oil
sands oilsands with ‘dirty oil.’”
“As a result we have developed several products that provide
the department’s views on oil sands development . . . and we have
contributed (along with EC) to a DFAIT led ‘Advocacy Strategy’ on
oilsands for the US.”
The powerpoint presentation highlights the economic importance of the oilsands as a resource that places Canada second in world oil reserves, but also acknowledges that development is threatened by environmental concerns and climate policies from south of the border.
“US U. S. legislation at both federal and state
levels potentially target oilsands production,” says a Natural Resources
Canada powerpoint presentation from March 2009 called: Addressing
Oil Sands Oilsands Issues in the United States.
“Some (environmental groups) have targeted oil
sands oilsands in proactive, well financed and well
organized `dirty oil’ ‘dirty oil’ campaigns.”
The Harper government has followed the U.S. in introducing regulations to crack down on tailpipe emissions from new cars, but it has not yet set any caps on pollution from the oilsands or other industrial sectors.
Linda Duncan, the NDP environment critic and MP for Edmonton-Strathcona, said the documents were hardly a revelation for Albertans.
“If you’re from Alberta, you already know they spent millions of dollars lobbying in the United States on behalf of the poor oil industry,” Duncan said Sunday.
“It’s already public information.” Still, Duncan wondered if the lobbying efforts violate the NAFTA environmental side agreement which bars interference in another country’s environmental policy.
Meanwhile, the documents say the government is developing a “proactive outreach strategy” as part of its communications plan in partnership with other stakeholders, such as the oilsands industry and the Alberta government, which launched its own $25-million campaign in 2008.
“Engagement with (environmental groups) has been limited, but we will seek opportunities where we can,” says the powerpoint presentation.
The documents also reveal that the government is aware a majority of Canadians want stronger action to crack down on oilsands pollution. It highlighted public opinion research that suggests 72 per cent of Canadians want it to do more and that 79 per cent want emissions to be reduced from current levels.
Greenhouse-gas pollution from the oilsands has tripled since
1990. The government’s research also suggests that 52 per cent of
Canadians support a moratorium on new development until environmental
issues are resolved.
The coalition that obtained the documents said the revelations may
only represent the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of other international
lobbying efforts by the Harper government, including recent letters
sent to European politicians to discourage similar policies targeting
pollution from the oilsands. government.
“There are states, there are regions, there are countries in this world that are trying to make progress to deal with the problem of climate change, and our government is actually trying to stand in their way,” said Graham Saul, executive director of Climate Action Network, which represents environmental, labour and faith-based groups concerned about global warming.
“(Canada has) actually created a monster that’s going into other
countries and trying to undermine clean-energy and climate-change
policy policy, and that’s totally inexcusable and
it’s outrageous.”
The documents also suggest that some staff at Environment Canada urged
the government to be realistic in its communications plan about the
footprint of oilsands development.
“Even though it is intended to show how Canada has its act together we
should provide notes for (the deputy minister’s) use that point to areas
where governments need to devote greater attention and possibly
resources,” wrote
Peter Hale, an Environment Canada manager at the
environmental-assessment and marine programs division in an email sent
March 18, 2009.
“These could include, but are not limited to, ecosystem monitoring, the
development of thresholds and new legislation where necessary.”
Natural Resources Canada, which describes itself as the lead federal
department on oilsands issues, has previously been criticized in
internal correspondence by senior Environment Canada officials for being
too “pro- industry,” Postmedia News reported in January.
Environment Minister John Baird declined to be interviewed about the
communications strategy, but a spokesman referred questions to Natural
Resources Canada.
Paul Duchesne, manager of media relations at Natural Resources Canada,
wrote in an email that his department’s communications goal was to
deliver a “fact-based approach on all aspects of the oilsands issue,
including environmental impacts, economic benefits and technological
advancements.
Mike De de Souza
“Canada’s Ottawa co-ordinates strategy on
anti-oilsands strategy includes lobbying against global
warming measures: documents campaigns; Three departments work
with Alberta on advocacy effort”
Postmedia News
Calgary Herald
21
22
November 2010
A4
Three major departments in the federal government have been actively
co-ordinating a communications strategy with Alberta and its fossil-fuel
industry to fight international global- global
warming policies that “target” oilsands production, newly released
federal documents reveal.
The documents, obtained by Postmedia News, suggest that Environment
Canada, Natural Resources Canada as well as the Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade, Trade have
collaborated on an “advocacy strategy” in the U.S. United
States to promote the oilsands and discourage
environmental- environmental protection
policies.
“The activities of the oil sands oilsands sector
has emerged as one of the high priority files for the federal
government,” wrote Natural Resources Canada policy adviser Paul Khanna
in an email, e-mail, on behalf of Kevin Stringer,
the director of Petroleum Resources in the same department.
“As a result result, we have developed several
products that provide the department’s views on oil
sands oilsands development . . . and we have contributed
(along with EC) to a DFAIT led ‘Advocacy Strategy’ on oil
sands oilsands for the
US. U.S.”
The email, e-mail, dated Dec. 1, 2008, is part
of hundreds of pages of documents released through an
access-to-information request by Climate Action Network Canada.
The documents also include a
powerpoint PowerPoint presentation outlining the
communications strategy in 2009 and secret briefing notes that urge the
natural resources minister to fight back against “well-orchestrated
media campaigns” against the oilsands as well as “restrictive
legislative and regulatory proposals that associate oil
sands oilsands with ‘dirty oil.’”
“As a result we have developed several products that provide
the department’s views on oil sands development . . . and we have
contributed (along with EC) to a DFAIT led ‘Advocacy Strategy’ on
oilsands for the US.”
The powerpoint PowerPoint presentation
highlights the economic importance of the oilsands as a resource that
places Canada second in world oil reserves, but also acknowledges that
development is threatened by environmental concerns and climate policies
from south of the border.
“US U. S. legislation at both federal and state
levels potentially target oilsands production,” says a Natural Resources
Canada powerpoint PowerPoint presentation from
March 2009 called: Addressing Oil Sands Issues in the United States.
“Some (environmental groups) have targeted oil
sands oilsands in proactive, well financed and well
organized `dirty oil’ ‘dirty oil’ campaigns.”
The Harper government has followed the U.S. in introducing regulations
to crack down on tailpipe emissions from new cars, but it has not yet
set any caps on pollution from the oilsands or other industrial sectors.
Meanwhile, the documents say the government is developing a “proactive outreach strategy” as part of its communications plan in partnership with other stakeholders, such as the oilsands industry and the Alberta government, which launched its own $25-million campaign in 2008.
“Engagement with (environmental groups) has been limited, but we will
seek opportunities where we can,” says the
powerpoint PowerPoint presentation.
The documents also reveal that the government is aware a majority of
Canadians want stronger action to crack down on oilsands pollution. It
highlighted public opinion research that suggests 72 per cent of
Canadians want it to do more and that 79 per cent want emissions to be
reduced from current levels.
Greenhouse-
Greenhouse
gas pollution emissions from the oilsands has
tripled since 1990. The government’s research also suggests that 52 per
cent of Canadians support a moratorium on new development until
environmental issues are resolved.
The coalition that obtained the documents said the revelations may only represent the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of other international lobbying efforts by the Harper government, including recent letters sent to European politicians to discourage similar policies targeting pollution from the oilsands.
“There are states, there are regions, there are countries in this world
that are trying to make progress to deal with the problem of climate
change, and our government is actually trying to stand in their way,”
said Graham Saul, executive director of Climate Action Network, which
represents environmental, labour and faith-based groups concerned about
global warming.
“(Canada has) actually created a monster that’s going into other
countries and trying to undermine clean-energy and climate-change policy
and that’s totally inexcusable and it’s outrageous.”
The documents also suggest that some staff at Environment Canada urged
the government to be realistic in its communications plan about the
footprint of oilsands development.
“Even though it is intended to show how Canada has its act together we
should provide notes for (the deputy minister’s) use that point to areas
where governments need to devote greater attention and possibly
resources,” wrote
Peter Hale, an Environment Canada manager at the
environmental-assessment and marine programs division in an email sent
March 18, 2009.
“These could include, but are not limited to, ecosystem monitoring, the
development of thresholds and new legislation where necessary.”
Natural Resources Canada, which describes itself as the lead federal
department on oilsands issues, has previously been criticized in
internal correspondence by senior Environment Canada officials for being
too “pro- industry,” Postmedia News reported in January.
Environment Minister John Baird declined to be interviewed about the
communications strategy, but a spokesman referred questions to Natural
Resources Canada.
Paul Duchesne, manager of media relations at Natural Resources Canada,
wrote in an email that his department’s communications goal was to
deliver a “fact-based approach on all aspects of the oilsands issue,
including environmental impacts, economic benefits and technological
advancements.