For Immediate Release
Ottawa-Based Groups Shocked at TransCanada ‘Dirty Tactics’ Campaign
Company to Face Opposition at Kemptville Open House
Kemptville, Ontario – November 18, 2014 – After leaked documents exposed a TransCanada plan to attack organizations and municipalities opposed to the controversial Energy East pipeline, many of those groups signalled their intention to not be silenced by TransCanada.The documents highlighting a strategy to promote the Energy East pipeline by undertaking a pseudo-grassroots campaign were released earlier on Greenpeace’s website. They document TransCanada’s intention to use third-party voices to discredit ‘opponents’, including the Council of Canadians, Greenpeace, and Ecology Ottawa, by conducting research, putting pressure on opposition groups, and doing and saying things “when TransCanada can’t.”
TransCanada plans to host a community session between 4pm and 8pm at the North Grenville Municipal Centre, 285 County Road 44, where representatives of many of the groups named in the document will attend to publicly confront the company, with flyers, banners and signs.
“This is an important opportunity to highlight that residents in Kemptville don’t want this pipeline to be built. TransCanada says they’re in Kemptville to hear from the public, but they’ve shown that they’re not interested in facing concerned residents,” noted Chris Weissflog, a member of Sustainable North Grenville.
“We’re shocked and appalled that one of the richest oil companies in the world would plot to attack a small environmental organization working to protect local rivers. TransCanada has shown that they’re not interested in addressing concerns about the pipeline, they’re just out to shoot the messenger” signalled Ben Powless, Pipeline Campaigner with Ecology Ottawa.
The Council of Canadians has just completed an Atlantic Canada tour along the proposed pipeline route. Climate and Energy Campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue contends “Despite TransCanada’s heavy handed advertising and PR tactics, people are recognizing the risks to their land, waterways, health and our shared climate. There is a growing wall of opposition to this pipeline that is all risk and little reward for Canadians.”
“Not only does the Energy East pipeline represent a threat to communities along the route, it would also be a climate disaster,” noted Lisa Pepper of the 350.org Ottawa Chapter. “The extra tar sands emissions from building this pipeline would be the same as restarting Ontario’s coal plants. Our climate cannot afford that.”
-30-
Contact Information
Chris Weissflog, Sustainable North Grenville: 613-724-7674 / [email protected] Ben Powless, Ecology Ottawa: 613-601-4219 / [email protected] Andrea Harden-Donahue, Council of Canadians: 613-793-5488 / [email protected] Cam Fenton, 350.org: 604-369-2155 / [email protected]
Latest posts
Announcing our Executive Director!
Dear Ecology Ottawa Community,
I want to share some exciting news with you. After serving as Program Coordinator at Ecology Ottawa for two years, I stepped into the role of Interim Executive Director in July; today, I’m honoured to write to you as permanent Executive Director of Ecology Ottawa.
2025 Budget: Ecology Ottawa calls for more trees, CCMP funding, and engagement
At a meeting of City Council's Environment and Climate Change Committee on Wednesday, November 13, Ecology Ottawa called for further funding of climate action in Ottawa, improvements to the City's budget consultation process, and more trees—many more trees