(ಠ_ಠ)
2014-12-07 01:44:25 UTC
On promoting Alberta's tarsands - that's how. $31 million of our tax dollars.
Better spent on an ad firm - an American one - than on our war veterans, eh?
The next time you see a TV ad from the Canadian Association of Petroleum
Producers (CAPP) or Kinder Morgan (they've just started), think about where
your tax dollars are at work. . . . in the hands of an American ad firm selling
bullshit to you on your TV right here in Canada.
Harper government at work.
_________________________________________________
http://www.thestar.com/Saturday, December 6, 2014
Tories ready to field ‘conflict of interest’ questions over oilsands ad firm
The governing Conservatives were prepared to field questions on a perceived
“conflict of interest” with ad firm quarterbacking oil sands ad blitz.
OTTAWA—The Conservative government is ready to field questions on a perceived
“conflict of interest” with the advertising firm heading up their $22-million
oilsands ad blitz, documents show.
Natural Resources Canada hired international ad firm FleishmanHillard to lead
the campaign to promote Canada’s extraction of raw materials — specifically the
oilsands — in the U.S., Europe and China.
In addition to the federal government, the agency boasts a number of energy and
oil industry clients, including U.S. oil giant ConocoPhillips.
The department’s communication branch drew up stock responses in case questions
came up about the agency’s industry clients, according to documents released
under access to information law.
“It is not uncommon that qualified, internationally established PR/advertising
agencies have multiple clients, and that some of these clients may share common
sector interests,” the documents said.
The Star requested any documents turned over to FleishmanHillard to help
prepare the ad campaign, which was rolled out internationally earlier this year.
The heavily censored 149-page package includes background documents on the
government’s “Responsible Resource Development” ad campaign, which targeted
U.S. lawmakers during Ottawa’s push for the Keystone XL pipeline’s approval.
The documents also include the Department of Foreign Affairs’ assessment of
relations between Canada and the European Union on energy issues.
According to the department, FleishmanHillard’s contract includes a
confidentiality clause that prevents the ad firm from sharing government
intelligence with their other clients.
“A confidentiality clause in the contract with the supplier protects the
interests of the Government of Canada by ensuring that proprietary information
is not shared outside the client-supplier relationship,” Paul Duchesne, a
spokesman for the Natural Resources, wrote in a prepared statement.
Calls to FleishmanHillard’s Ottawa office were not returned Thursday.
The company was hired in January to develop print, Internet and television ads,
as well as draw up an overall public relations strategy to promote Canada’s
extractive sector.
FleishmanHillard’s share of the contract is worth as much as $5 million,
although the government noted that the full cost of the campaign will not be
known until the annual report on advertising. That report is typically released
12 to 16 months after the fiscal year ends, according to Public Works officials.
The campaign was largely targeted at the European Union’s fuel quality
directive, which has since been abandoned. The Conservatives argue that the
directive unduly penalizes oilsands crude, and make the same claim about
legislation being contemplated in other jurisdictions.
Natural Resources Canada has said the ad campaign was meant to combat
“misinformation” about Canada’s environmental record and the oilsands generally.
New Democrat MP and natural resources critic Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain)
said she doesn’t believe advertisements will sway foreign governments.
“I don’t think you engage with foreign governments through advertising any more
than I think you engage with Canadians through advertising,” Charlton said
Thursday. “You have to do it through meaningful engagement. And that’s
anathema to this government.”
The Conservatives allocated more than $36 million since 2012 to advertise
Canada’s environmental record and the natural resources industry. A full $31
million of that envelope went to Natural Resources for advertising.
Better spent on an ad firm - an American one - than on our war veterans, eh?
The next time you see a TV ad from the Canadian Association of Petroleum
Producers (CAPP) or Kinder Morgan (they've just started), think about where
your tax dollars are at work. . . . in the hands of an American ad firm selling
bullshit to you on your TV right here in Canada.
Harper government at work.
_________________________________________________
http://www.thestar.com/Saturday, December 6, 2014
Tories ready to field ‘conflict of interest’ questions over oilsands ad firm
The governing Conservatives were prepared to field questions on a perceived
“conflict of interest” with ad firm quarterbacking oil sands ad blitz.
OTTAWA—The Conservative government is ready to field questions on a perceived
“conflict of interest” with the advertising firm heading up their $22-million
oilsands ad blitz, documents show.
Natural Resources Canada hired international ad firm FleishmanHillard to lead
the campaign to promote Canada’s extraction of raw materials — specifically the
oilsands — in the U.S., Europe and China.
In addition to the federal government, the agency boasts a number of energy and
oil industry clients, including U.S. oil giant ConocoPhillips.
The department’s communication branch drew up stock responses in case questions
came up about the agency’s industry clients, according to documents released
under access to information law.
“It is not uncommon that qualified, internationally established PR/advertising
agencies have multiple clients, and that some of these clients may share common
sector interests,” the documents said.
The Star requested any documents turned over to FleishmanHillard to help
prepare the ad campaign, which was rolled out internationally earlier this year.
The heavily censored 149-page package includes background documents on the
government’s “Responsible Resource Development” ad campaign, which targeted
U.S. lawmakers during Ottawa’s push for the Keystone XL pipeline’s approval.
The documents also include the Department of Foreign Affairs’ assessment of
relations between Canada and the European Union on energy issues.
According to the department, FleishmanHillard’s contract includes a
confidentiality clause that prevents the ad firm from sharing government
intelligence with their other clients.
“A confidentiality clause in the contract with the supplier protects the
interests of the Government of Canada by ensuring that proprietary information
is not shared outside the client-supplier relationship,” Paul Duchesne, a
spokesman for the Natural Resources, wrote in a prepared statement.
Calls to FleishmanHillard’s Ottawa office were not returned Thursday.
The company was hired in January to develop print, Internet and television ads,
as well as draw up an overall public relations strategy to promote Canada’s
extractive sector.
FleishmanHillard’s share of the contract is worth as much as $5 million,
although the government noted that the full cost of the campaign will not be
known until the annual report on advertising. That report is typically released
12 to 16 months after the fiscal year ends, according to Public Works officials.
The campaign was largely targeted at the European Union’s fuel quality
directive, which has since been abandoned. The Conservatives argue that the
directive unduly penalizes oilsands crude, and make the same claim about
legislation being contemplated in other jurisdictions.
Natural Resources Canada has said the ad campaign was meant to combat
“misinformation” about Canada’s environmental record and the oilsands generally.
New Democrat MP and natural resources critic Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain)
said she doesn’t believe advertisements will sway foreign governments.
“I don’t think you engage with foreign governments through advertising any more
than I think you engage with Canadians through advertising,” Charlton said
Thursday. “You have to do it through meaningful engagement. And that’s
anathema to this government.”
The Conservatives allocated more than $36 million since 2012 to advertise
Canada’s environmental record and the natural resources industry. A full $31
million of that envelope went to Natural Resources for advertising.