QUESTION PERIOD — Environment and Climate Change
Foreign Involvement in Energy Sector
May 15, 2019
My question is for the government leader in the Senate.
Yesterday it was announced the Prime Minister’s new director of policy is a former senior vice-president at Tides Canada, an anti-pipeline and anti-oil sands group, largely funded out of the United States. Since 2009, the Tides Foundation and Tides Canada Foundation have reportedly paid out over $25 million to support anti-pipeline campaigns.
This appointment is yet another example of how the government is not taking seriously this threat to our energy sector. Tides Canada has received tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money from this government — our government here. For example, the government leader may remember that I questioned him last November about $35,000 given to the Tides Foundation by Minister McKenna.
Senator Harder, why does the government continue to take such a weak position on the Tides Canada Foundation and groups like it, which are working so seriously to damage our energy sector?
Again, I thank the honourable senator for his question. The record of this government with respect to the energy sector is well known and one to be proud of. It is one that has seen the Government of Canada bring forward legislation not only to advance our energy interests but to do so in a way that is consistent with our obligations to our Aboriginal peoples and the environment. That balance is in the long-term interests of Canada and one that we are presently debating in this chamber.
With respect to other aspects of the question, let me simply say that the government seeks to bring into service the best people available and the talent they have been able to recruit should be admired, not ridiculed.
Thank you very much for the response.
I don’t think there is any intent to ridicule. The intent was to demonstrate that it’s counterproductive for foreign-funded foundations to try to stop our development of oil and natural energies.
Both our Senate Energy Committee and Transport Committee have recently heard witnesses speak about the serious matter of foreign-funded interference in the resource sector during the studies of Bill C-69 and Bill C-48. For example, just last week, the Transport Committee heard from researcher Vivian Krause, who detailed the vast amount of money being poured into Canada by these foreign foundations as part of, “an international effort to sabotage the Canadian oil and gas industry by keeping Canada out of global markets.” We all know that the founders and supporters of the initial actions in 2006 and 2007 were the Rockefeller Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Senator Harder, Canadian taxpayers own Trans Mountain. I certainly hope your government will give the expansion final approval next month. How can the government indicate that Trans Mountain is critically important, as Minister Morneau said the other day, and then turn a blind eye to this campaign against our energy sector?
I think it’s important to distinguish between funding in political campaigns and for political parties and funding for advocacy and networks of support for various causes. We live in a free and democratic society in which Canadians have participated in any number of global public policy issues. We welcome voices that are consistent with our laws and obligations. The public square should not be confined to only Canadian organizations, as long as they are respecting Canadian laws and Canadian practice.
