The federal New Democratic Party says it’s time for Canada to do to the fossil fuel industry what it did to tobacco companies by banning misleading advertising that claims to offer solutions to climate change. He claims to have come.
NDP natural resources critic Charlie Angus introduced a private member’s bill (C-372) will be considered in the House of Commons this week. The bill would ban what the party describes as misleading fossil fuel advertising, similar to how tobacco advertising was regulated in the 1990s.
Angus said at a press conference Tuesday that Canada’s oil industry is shifting its “propaganda” strategy by promoting its products as clean and claiming they can be part of the fight against climate change.
“That’s like Benson and Hedges saying it will help eliminate lung cancer,” Angus says. “This is because Big Oil has always relied on the Big Tobacco strategy of delay and disinformation.”
NDP natural resources critic Charlie Angus says Big Oil is copying Big Tobacco’s strategy by offering industry solutions to climate change.
In 1997, Canadian government enacts new tobacco control law After the Supreme Court struck down a 1989 law that the tobacco industry challenged as an unconstitutional restriction on freedom of expression.
The new bill would make it illegal to promote fossil fuels in a false, misleading or deceptive manner, or to downplay climate-changing emissions or industry-related health risks.
Health Canada Air pollution is estimated The burning of fossil fuels, primarily in North America, causes 15,300 premature deaths in Canada each year. The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) cites research showing that air pollution from fossil fuels in Canada is linked to 34,000 premature deaths each year.
Mr CAPE was one of the officials who stood with Mr Angus at Monday’s press conference.It’s also one of the groups Persons who have filed a complaint with the Competition Bureau About Pathways Alliance, an organization representing six major oil and gas companies.
CAPE claims that Pathways’ net-zero advertising was misleading because it did not fully explain how the consortium would achieve net-zero emissions.
“This is false. Oil cannot be net-zero because 80 percent of its lifecycle emissions are released when it is burned,” said Leah Temper, director of health and economic policy at CAPE. .
Watch | Press conference on fossil fuel advertising ban bill
The combustion of coal, oil, and gas accounts for 75 percent of global climate change emissions and 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. According to the United Nations.
Pathways Alliance could not be reached for comment on the bill. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) said it complies with Canadian advertising laws.
“Advertising is one of the ways we ensure Canadians are informed of the progress Canada’s oil and gas industry is making on these important issues,” said Lisa Byton, President and CEO of CAPP. “It is,” he said.
The federal government is holding the oil and gas sector accountable for its emissions through measures such as the proposed framework to limit oil and gas emissions, the office of Environment and Climate Change Minister Stephen Guilbeault said in a statement. The statement stopped short of endorsing Angus’ bill.
“We welcome the NDP’s introduction of the bill to the House of Commons. Advertising plays a huge role in public perception and our industry is making record profits,” said Environment Minister Spokesperson Caitlin Power. “We will carefully evaluate their bill and look forward to productive debate and discussion around this important issue.”
