Reported.
This is pretty low on the pipeline supporters’ part.
[quote=“PLA”]Reported.
This is pretty low on the pipeline supporters’ part.[/quote]
When foreign oil companies pour $100 million into Public Relations to get the oil pipeline through the regulatory process, this is an example of how their money will be spent to confuse the issue and make people think public opinion is on their side. The people behind the “Ethical Oil” mouthpiece for the oil companies are working overtime to sway public opinion. The comments I’ve heard around town about how our oceans can recover from oil spills make me think the ads are working.
The same tactics were used in California to defeat the 2006 Proposition 87 which preserved California’s status as the third largest US oil producer and only one of the 22 major oil states to give the industry a free ride.
Recommended reading The Tyranny of Oil for what tactics we can expect in the coming year. tyrannyofoil.org/
If you look at the history of how oil companies get their way you’ll see this is actually mild but as they become more desperate, be prepared to watch your civil liberties attacked. We all know “Radicals” don’t deserve the same liberties that God Fearing Conservative Voting Citizens have.
Since Ethical Oil will become a household name as the media reports on the Enbridge Hearings, It’s important we understand a bit more about “Ethical Oil” (The site is named after a book penned by Ezra Levant who is the darling of the Harper Cons). While the fact that Ethical Oil is on the same web server hosting Jason Kenney and Joe Oliver is not a crime, it appears at least to me to be a bit too coincidental, cozy and close for comfort.
[quote=“Deep Climate; Exploring climate science disinformation in Canada and beyond”]
Ethical Oil political connections, part 1: Conservatives “Go Newclear”]
Posted on January 13, 2012
As a once in a generation Canadian pipeline review process gets underway, the rhetoric around the massive Northern Gateway project has heated up noticeably. The Conservative government and the Ethical Oil pro-industry group seemed to take turns ratcheting up attacks on environmental groups opposing the project almost daily. Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver may have set a new low in his recent attacks on those who would “hijack our regulatory system to achieve their radical ideological agenda”, backed by “foreign special interest groups”, not to mention “billionaire socialists … like George Soros”. The eerie echoes of Ethical Oil’s recent advertising campaign and back-and-forth timing have led some to recall previously discussed ties between Stephen Harper’s Conservative government and key Ethical Oil figures Ezra Levant and former executive director Alykhan Velshi (now safely back in the PMO).
But it turns out there are other interesting ties behind the scenes. An examination of the web server hosting EthicalOil.org reveals a network of fifty or so websites, mainly on behalf of right-wing causes and politicians. The latter include two Conservative cabinet ministers, Velshi’s old boss immigration minister Jason Kenney and that scourge of foreign billionaire socialists, Joe Oliver. And it also points to the key involvement of Go Newclear Productions, a somewhat mysterious “full service digital agency with a focus on public affairs and politics”.
Go Newclear is headed up by none other than political wunderkind Hamish Marshall, already a veteran of both the PMO and the Conservative federal council – and husband of hapless Ethical Oil spokesperson Kathryn Marshall. The other Go Newclear directors /officers (and presumed principals) are linked to the Conservative PR machine known as the Conservative Resources Group; radio and TV advertising specialist Brendan Jones left the CRG in 2009, while developer Travis Freeman, astonishingly enough, is still with the group. Not only that, but the Ethical Oil cluster of websites and Joe Oliver.ca form a distinct sub-group within the Go Newclear network, with unmistakeable signs of common development and a deployment seemingly aimed at obfuscating the link to Newclear team. So there is more than just common ideology tying EthicalOil.org to the Conservative PR machine; they also share digital service providers – and a lack of transparency. [/quote]
The best way to tell if someone is lying is to ask them a direct question and watch how they respond to it.
Watch the representative of Ethical Oil trying to invoke the theme of Canadian Nationalism and insisting Ethical Oil is a grassroots organization rallying support against US funded radical environmentalists. (That’s anyone who opposes the pipeline btw). She is repeatedly asked whether Ethical Oil has received any funding from Enbridge. Watch how she twists, turns and deflects the question to avoid answering truthfully.
Herbie pointed out the existence of a mystery facebook page - Fort St James supports the Northern Gateway. If you are on facebook, search northern gateway and you’ll see the same pages have been created for Prince George, Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers and Kitimat.
Grass Roots movement my a**! This is the result of $100 million dollars given to Enbridge by ten foreign owned oil companies to get the pipeline approved through the regulatory process.
So we understand who this lady and her husband who are behind “Ethical Oil” are. Take a look at how they use half truths and so called “Polls” to support the agenda of the Wild Rose Alliance in Alberta. albertadiary.ca/2011/06/poll … l?tw_p=twt
[quote=“http://www.albertadiary.ca/”]Mr. Marshall is married to Kathryn Marshall, University of Calgary law student, member of the U of C Wildrose Alliance Club and vocal supporter of the Wildrose Alliance.
Is a picture beginning to form here? While it is possible that the Abingdon poll is legitimate, without more information it would also be reasonable to conclude that this might be a poll that was administered to a self-selecting sample for a client that desired a specific outcome.
It is interesting that the release of the Wildrose Alliance claims followed by only four days the publication in journalist Paul McLaughlin’s subscription-only Alberta Scan newsletter the details of a scientifically valid poll with results much less favourable to the Wildrose Alliance. [/quote]
Keep in mind the tactics used in the past by the people behind “Ethical Oil” . We are starting and will continue to see the very same tactics in the Enbridge debate they used to support the Wildrose Alliance.
**Disinformation poll tactics to make us Lemmings believe the cliff is the only path to economic prosperity. **
Good article follows about the recent Enbridge poll claiming a majority of us are for the pipeline. pacificfreepress.com/news/1/ … ling-.html
[quote=“Peter Ewart Pacificfreepress.com”]One of the aims of disinformation campaigns is to shake the resolve of people. And we are seeing ample evidence of this in the campaign to sell the Enbridge pipeline which, if constructed, will stretch across the lands and waterways of Northern BC and result in major oil tanker traffic in the ocean waters off BC’s Pacific coast.
Recently, an Ipsos-Reid poll, released exclusively to the Postmedia News chain, is alleging that, by a whopping 48 to 32 percentage, most people across the province are now in favour of the controversial pipeline. This poll, of course, was commissioned and paid for by the Enbridge Corporation.
The results are almost the exact opposite of another poll conducted by the Mustel polling group in 2010 and commissioned by pipeline opponent group “Forest Ethics”. That poll showed a 51 to 34 percent margin against the pipeline. The gap between the two polls is stunning.
Nonetheless, despite the huge disparity in poll results, the Postmedia News chain was quick to punch out headlines such as: “New poll points to pipeline support”, as well as articles claiming that the poll could be a “game changer” for project opponents. For its part, Enbridge has issued a statement that the “new poll” will set a “’proper context’ for the launch of National Energy Board hearings into Northern Gateway that begin this month in northern B.C.”
But the question needs to be asked: just what is Enbridge’s “proper context”?
A key part of Enbridge’s efforts to establish this “proper context” is to create the impression that the people of this region and across the province actually support the controversial pipeline. And even more than that, they “want” it to be built. [/quote]
Her response was - in a word - embarrassing.
Danielle Smith and the Wildrose Party are like Sarah Palin and the Republican Tea Baggers, and they’re much worse than Harpo himself.
At least I’m glad Redford is now the leader of the PCs; she makes the party more palatable to vote for.
Who are we to believe? canada.com/business/Secret+E … z1jaEMxsRp
[quote=“Vancouver Sun”] OTTAWA — Contamination of a major western Canadian river basin from oilsands operations is a “high-profile concern” for downstream communities and wildlife, says a newly-released secret" presentation prepared last spring by Environment Canada that highlighted numerous warnings about the industry’s growing footprint on land, air, water and the climate.
The warnings from the department contrast with recent claims made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Environment Minister Peter Kent that the industry is being unfairly targeted by environmentalists who exaggerate its impacts on nature and people.
…it warned that Alberta and other parts of Western Canada are facing a steep economic and ecological price tag for failing to crack down on the industry’s collateral damage.[/quote]
In case you’re wondering…we’re the other parts of Western Canada that are facing a steep economic and ecological price tag.
** Harper says Canada won’t be the United States’ northern ‘giant national park’ **
So lets get this straight. It’s not ok for US citizens worried about global environmental issues to pass a few bucks to environmental groups in Canada that may have something to say about the Northern Gateway Pipeline but it’s ok for the Prime Minister of Canada to Lecture the American People and Government about their regulatory process on the XL pipeline in the US? It’s also ok for Foreign Owned Oil Companies to contribute $100 million dollars to ensure the Northern Gateway project environmetal review is a rubber stamp. The irony of little Stevie’s position is delicious.
No wonder Steve and Joe are panicking. They encouraged the Chinese to invest Billions of Dollars into the Alberta Oil Sands without a way to get the bitumen to Asia. I suspect they let the Chinese know that the environmental review was a sure thing, a rubber stamp that a majority conservative government would ram through regardless of how controversial this is.
ca.news.yahoo.com/harper-says-ca … 33460.html
[quote=“The Canadian Press”] OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he doesn’t want the future of Northern Gateway pipeline to be decided by “certain” people in the United States who would like to see Canada be one giant national park.
Harper told CBC’s Peter Mansbridge that it is in Canada’s interest to sell its energy exports to Asia and the rising tension over Iran’s nuclear ambitions should show the United States that it needs to cut its dependence on Middle East oil.
The proposed $5.5-billion Northern Gateway oil pipeline from Alberta to northwest B.C., will allow Alberta’s oil to be loaded onto tankers and shipped down the West Coast to Asian and American markets.
China has invested billions of dollars into energy projects in Alberta’s oilsands and the Tories have worked hard to repair relations and boost trade with the Asian economic power.
But the Northern Gateway project has met with strong opposition from environmental groups and First Nations communities in both Alberta and British Columbia.
More than 4,300 people and groups have signed up to speak over the next 18 months or more at the public hearings into the proposed pipeline. A number of U.S.-based environmental groups along with some Hollywood heavyweights, including Robert Redford and Kevin Bacon, have joined the fight.
Harper insisted he doesn’t endorse specific projects and respects the regulatory processes.
“But just because certain people in the United States would like to see Canada be one giant national park for the northern half of North America, I don’t think that’s part of what our review process is all about.”
He said the government is concerned the regulatory processes are subject to extraordinary delay, and are “increasingly vulnerable to foreign money coming in for the sole purpose of delaying the process.”
Such delays are not fair to the companies involved, are not fair to the country, said Harper, adding that the government will make sure that going forward such processes, while thorough, are done on a timely basis. [/quote]
I thought an environmental review was meant to ensure the best possible decision would be made on mega projects rather to be fair to a foreign company’s bottom line. In my opinion, we can add Harper’s insistence he isnt’ endorsing this pipeline and respects the regulatory process to the list of crap he’s fed the Canadian Voters.
He’s talking about Canadians who matter. Not the likes of us.
The 1% not the 99%
Get ready for a battle, The just announced delay of a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline is going to superheat the pressure on Harper by his friends in the oil patch
Harper is set to visit China in the near future. Maybe he’s looking for advice on how they get things done in Tibet. I have to think the Chinese are going to let Harper know they don’t want to see some silly environmental and aboriginal issues to slow down opening up the Northern Gateway.
[quote=“Globe and Mail”]Mr. Obama called Mr. Harper with the news, saying the decision was not made on the merits of the project but because of the unacceptable deadline, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. The President also said TransCanada is free to reapply when it has concluded a small route change through an environmentally sensitive area of Nebraska.
In the brief phone conversation, the Prime Minister “expressed his profound disappointment with the news,” his office said. And Mr. Harper **“reiterated to the President that Canada will continue to work to diversify its energy exports.”
Ottawa has said delays with the Keystone XL pipeline underscore the urgency of opening new export routes to fast-growing Asian markets. In February, Mr. Harper will visit China, where oil exports are expected to be a major topic as Chinese companies increase their investments in the oil sands.**[/quote]
On a related front our Local MP Nathan Cullen and Peggy Nash put their positions forward on Power and Politics. Both have some good comments to say about pipelines, the expansion of the Alberta Oil sands and exporting raw materials rather than refining them in Canada. Also some observations about how the Oil Sands changing Canadian Currency to Petro Dollar is destroying our manufacturing sector. (Dutch Disease)
I’m pleased to see Nathan is taking the pragmatic view on cooperating with the liberals and greens to save Canada vs just focusing on what is good for the NDP.
Well thanks for that entertaining clip from Ezra Levant - The torch bearer for the Conservative Reform Alliance Party of Canada (CRAP). Ezra Levant is the chap who wrote the book Ethical Oil. The website using that name presumably with Ezra’s ok is the PR mouthpiece waging the PR Campaign for the Oil Industry to promote the Northern Gateway Pipeline.
Lets see what Patrick Moore has been up to lately according to his former colleagues at GreenPeace. Apparently he’s making a very good living these days being a PR flack for the highest bidder.
greenpeace.org/usa/en/media- … on-patric/
** Who is Ezra Levant and why should we care?** Well firstly he is one of the prime strategists for the CRAP party and the oil industry in Alberta. If you listen to his rants and those of his gal pal Ann Coulter, you soon understand the Radicals we need to be concerned about in this country are the Conservative Radicals intent on making Canada the profitable playground of multinationals.
Somehow, taking an advice from a tobacco lobbyist doesn’t come naturally to me.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Levant
[quote=“Wikipedia”]Levant gained a reputation as the university’s leading conservative. He was invited to write a guest column for the Edmonton Journal and interviewed on television.[3] He spent the summer of 1994 in Washington, D.C., in an internship arranged by the libertarian Charles G. Koch Foundation Summer Fellow Program. He worked for the Fraser Institute in 1995, writing Youthquake, which argued for smaller government, including privatization of the Canada Pension Plan. Levant saw “youthquake”, the term he used to describe what he identified as a conservative youth movement of the 1990s, as similar to the 1960s civil rights movement except that instead of being enslaved by racism, his generation was “enslaved by debt” and, in order to liberate itself, society needed to dismantle elements such as trade unions, the minimum wage, universal health care, subsidized tuition and public pension plans.
and
Recent activities
From 2009 until 2010, Levant worked as a lobbyist for Rothman’s Incorporated, a manufacturer and distributor of tobacco products.
In March 2010, Levant accompanied U.S. conservative personality Ann Coulter on a Canadian speaking tour. Her speech at the University of Ottawa was canceled at the last minute, apparently by its organizers, because of what Levant called “physical danger to Coulter and the audience” from protesters. The Ottawa Police later disputed any claims of unrest or violence.[51][52][53]
“Ethical” Oil
In September 2010, Levant published a book, Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada’s Oil Sands, arguing a moral case for developing the Athabasca oil sands rather than importing oil from nations with bad records concerning human rights and the environment. The book was the winner of the 2011 National Business Book Award, awarded on May 12, 2011 in Toronto. The term ethical oil has been criticised in the British Media.
NDP leadership candidate Brian Topp, quoting a Sun media journalist, referred to ethical landmines, justified by the same logic as Levant’s with respect to oil.
** Sun Media** Levant hosts The Source, an evening talk show host on the Sun News Network and writes a regular column for the Sun Media chain of newspapers.
** CBC opponent ** Sun Media, owned by Quebecor, has also systematically opposed funding for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, led by Levant and Brian Lilley,. Both were called as witnesses by Conservative MPs reviewing CBC funding, which Ottawa Citizen reporter Glen McGregor called “bizarre”[/quote]
Just doing some local promotion and noting the library has been trying to collect news and articles on this on a single page. The nine-part series from the Sun seems pretty comprehensive, for one. princerupertlibrary.ca/news/ … y-pipeline
Another freaking foreign puppet ad in the local rag. Some group got a whole $287,000 to protest the pipeline! Where’s my share? Hay you foreigners, I’ll stand there with a sign for only $500 a day.
Also disappointed to find unethicaloil.org is already taken.
**And meanwhile from the honest Canjun folks at Enbridge **
[quote=“The Calgary Herald”] Enbridge has defended itself against arguments by critics in B.C. that a spill from the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline is “inevitable.”
The company has regularly pointed out to the media that there hadn’t been a pipeline rupture resulting in a leak of more than 10 barrels on any Canadian pipeline built in the last 25 years.
“That demonstrates the rigour, the material standards, the quality of the steel, the quality of the coatings, the quality of the inspection practices, the installation practices and how dramatically they’ve improved,” the project’s manager of engineering, Ray Doering, told The Kitimat Northern Sentinel newspaper in an interview published in June. [/quote]
** Odd … while he was saying that…**
[quote=“The Calgary Herald”] Enbridge Inc., the proponent of the Northern Gateway pipeline from the Alberta oilsands to the B.C. northern coast, is planning seven “investigative digs” as part of a new round of measures next month in connection with a 1,500-barrel spill in the Northwest Territories.
Enbridge originally said when the spill was discovered by an aboriginal hunter last May that only four barrels of sweet crude leaked from the Norman Wells pipeline, which takes as much as 39,400 barrels per day 869 kilometres from Norman Wells, N.W.T., to Zama, Alta.
But in early June the company notified the National Energy Board that the spill, 150 metres south of the Willowlake River in western Northwest Territories, involved anywhere from 700 to 1,500 barrels.
Enbridge’s website now pegs the spill, from a “pinhole” leak on the pipeline, at the upper limit of 1,500 barrels.
“We don’t know the cause right now,” Enbridge spokeswoman Jennifer Varey said Thursday.[/quote]
**Any wonder Foreign Funded Radical types don’t believe what we’re being told by our Dear Leader and the “Grass Root Proponents” in full page ads, fancy website and social media blitzes all bought and paid for by Foreign Multinational oil companies? **
Read more: calgaryherald.com/business/E … z1jxpI1hRE
Speaking of Oily Ethics… this is what the pinup girl from Ethical Oil has to say recently…
huffingtonpost.ca/kathryn-ma … 12567.html
Well I read the article and what I see is the appalling behaviour of the multinational oil companies operating in third world countries. Those very same Oil Companies are trying to make Canada into a pliant bananna republic and have already bought our Federal Government. Her example of how Canada holds the Oil companies up to high standards is a joke
In reality
theglobeandmail.com/report-o … le1769027/
And fast forward
theglobeandmail.com/news/nat … le1773540/
Leaving that aside see what the author of the original article supposedly on the same side as Ethical Oil has to say.
[quote=“Ben Amunwa - Huffington Post”]EthicalOil.org has a reputation for using just about anything to promote Canada’s tar sands. The local mayor, Aboriginals and environmentalists have all been thrust into EthicalOil.org’s narrative, some against their will. This Monday it was my turn to get ‘tarred’ as the website’s spokesperson Kathryn Marshall declared herself to be on “the very same page” as me. The assertion could not be further from the truth.
I work for Platform, a UK based charity that is opposed to the exploitation of tar sands in Canada. We focus our campaigning efforts on key UK companies that are heavily invested in the tar sands, including BP, Shell and the Royal Bank of Scotland. We work with global allies such as Indigenous Environmental Network and Rainforest Action Network. We also oppose the ongoing human rights abuses and environmental devastation caused by Shell and its partners in Nigeria and beyond.
In EthicalOil.org’s strained interpretation, Platform’s new research on Shell in Nigeria provides ammunition for Kathryn Marshall’s aggressive, though ultimately unconvincing, argument for exploiting Canada’s tar sands. According to her, “conflict” oil from Nigeria and the Middle East is tainted by human rights abuses, whereas Canada’s “ethical” oil upholds freedom and democracy. In the words of one commentator this idea is “ludicrous.” Here are some reasons why.
First of all, the tar sands are not ethical. They have been branded as “blood oil” due to their devastating impact on the rights, health and livelihoods of local First Nations communities. Even if you do agree with EthicalOil.org’s binary view of the world, the oil industry doesn’t. The same oil companies that extract Canada’s so called ‘ethical oil’ also operate in repressive countries like Nigeria, Syria and Russia. Oil companies do not discriminate when it comes to the black stuff. Shell, for example, is responsible for roughly 20 per cent of the tar sands output from Alberta and has been active in Nigeria for over 50 years.
Secondly, EthicalOil.org’s biggest flaw is its illogical reasoning. Repression in Nigeria or Saudi Arabia is certainly worthy of condemnation, but it is utterly irrelevant to the question of whether or not we should be extracting tar sands, risking catastrophic climate change and devastating the environment and basic human rights of local communities in Canada.
The ecological nightmare of the tar sands is entirely omitted from EthicalOil.org’s narrative. They make no mention of the giant toxic lakes that in 2009 were filled with 720 million cubic liters of chemical waste from tar sands extraction. In 2008, 500 birds were found dead in one of these lakes in Aurora. Local communities living downstream from tar sands mines in Fort Chipewyan have seen elevated rates of cancer. High levels of carcinogenic toxins such as mercury and arsenic have been detected downstream in the Athabasca River.
Canada is already the site of vast environmental degradation caused by the oil industry. If planned tar sands projects go ahead, they will destroy an area of pristine boreal forest the size of Portugal and Denmark combined. The wastelands in Nigeria are but a glimpse of what Canada will look like if it continues to exploit the tar sands.
Thirdly, EthicalOil.org hijacks stories of human suffering from oil producing countries in order to advance its own agenda. The website mechanically churns through cases of brutality from the “world of conflict oil.” But EthicalOil.org does not campaign in support of the victims of human rights abuses. It simply uses them for its own irrelevant purposes. It also turns a blind eye to the human rights of Canadian First Nations communities who bear the brunt of the pollution from tar sands. Several groups including the Beaver Lake Cree have ongoing legal action to prevent Shell, BP and other tar sands operators from violating their constitutionally protected treaty rights.
EthicalOil.org exists to defend the public image of Canada’s oil industry, but it is fighting an increasingly losing battle. The EU is pressing ahead with plans to ban tar sands imports from Canada due to the higher carbon emissions. In the U.S., a high profile campaign of civil disobedience was launched against the Keystone XL pipeline, (which could transport Canadian tar sands into American refineries) and over 30 U.S. lawmakers have come out against the plan. As the world wakes up to the impact of the tar sands, EthicalOil.org would rather you stayed sleeping.[/quote]
Rick Mercer’s answer to Hamish Marshall’s Go NewClear Productions; the Conservative PR Flack Machine behind Ethical Oil
WHO IS HAMISH MARSHALL?
desmogblog.com/cozy-ties-ast … -expansion
[quote=“Emma Pullman”]Hamish Marshall is the President and COO of GoNewClear Productions. He is a well-known strategist and activist trainer within Conservative circles, and also served as one of two British Columbia representatives on the federal Conservatives’ national council between 2008 and 2010.
He started his political career working for Canadian Alliance MP Joe Peschisolido from 2001-2002, and for the Conservative Party doing outreach for the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition from 2002-2003. He then left his position at the Conservative-Party connected NaiKun Energy in 2006 to work in the Prime Minister’s Office as Harper’s Manager of Strategic Planning until September 2007. In 2008, he managed polling for the Conservative re-election campaign.
The Ethical Oil-Harper government revolving door doesn’t end there. Hamish Marshall is married to EthicalOil spokeswoman Kathryn Marshall, who took over last fall when her predecessor Alykhan Velshi moved into the Prime Minister’s Office as the director of planning.
Hamish Marshall, through strategicimperativesonline, has registered 32 websites. Nearly all are connected to EthicalOil.org, the Conservative Party of Canada, and the right wing Alberta Wildrose Alliance Party.[/quote]
BTW the Rick Mercer video is a parody of Hamish’s ad he uses to promote his company Go Newclear Productions. Watch for his influence in BC Provincial Politics as he works with Cummings and the BC Conservative Party…
Speakuppr…
I don’t mind links to info and the sharing of opinion but these masses of text that you’re pasting are too much. State your point and back it up with a reference if you have too but you don’t have to copy and paste every article that has ever been printed that supports your viewpoint. Your point has been made and your position is understood. Does anyone else have any thoughts to share?