Diplomats promoting oilsands story
Efforts to counter European Parliament’s plan to crack down on fossil fuel pollution
OTTAWA — A lobbying team of Canadian diplomats promoting the oilsands in Europe engaged in “targeted outreach” to select reporters, government officials, investors and oil companies as part of an “extensive” campaign to cast doubts about proposed European climatechange policies, newly released internal federal documents reveal.
The revelations, included in reports and correspondence released through access- toinformation legislation, also indicated federal tax dollars were used to print about $ 2,000 worth of brochures to help the industry in its battle against the European Parliament’s plan to crack down on greenhouse gas pollution from transportation fuels.
The brochures, delivered in Germany and the Netherlands, were part of a comprehensive range of activities, including “intelligence gathering,” in close coordination with oil company executives in Europe from companies such as BP, Shell, Total and Statoil who met “regularly” with the Canadian diplomats, as well as at least one meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
“BREU ( Canada’s diplomatic mission in the European Union) has undertaken extensive oilsands advocacy activities, with a specific focus on preventing discriminatory treatment of the oilsands under the EU Fuel Quality Directive,” wrote London- based Canadian trade officer Sushma Gera in a mid- year report about the team from August 2010.
“BREU coordinates its efforts with individual companies and industry associations, in particular on FQD advocacy. In addition, BREU has worked with Shell by hosting complementary events, a multi- stakeholder workshop ( BREU) and MEP ( member of European Parliament) dinner ( Shell) featuring speakers from Alberta, Shell and the Helmholtz Institute.”
Gera also wrote that Harper met privately with the chairman and CEO of Total, Christophe de Margerie, during a visit to France in June 2010.
The oilsands lobbying team, created in 2009 and consisting of about 25 Canadian diplomats in Europe, also staged a two- day retreat in February 2011 that cost taxpayers about $ 54,000 in travel and hospitality costs, including a $ 15,000 untendered contract for an Ottawa- based consultant who gave a presentation on “how to do advocacy” in Europe.
While noting anti- oilsands protests were gaining momentum and damaging Canada’s reputation abroad, Gera said some of its work targeting specific media outlets was having an effect, especially during a spring 2010 visit by Rob Renner, who was Alberta’s environment minister at the time.
“A media encounter with select Belgian and Brusselsbased European media allowed Renner to deliver key messages and engage in myth- busting on the oilsands,” wrote Gera.
Climate scientists and governments from around the world have agreed human activity, mainly through consumption of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, are pumping dangerous amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere that could cause irreversible damage to life on the planet.