The documents weren’t exactly being advertised — but they were hardly a well-guarded secret. They were on an open website, available to anyone who happened to know where to look.
Until now.
Today, climate investigations reporter Carl Meyer reported on a collection of presentation slides and meeting agendas that offer a window into the thinking of a network of fossil fuel advocacy groups. Their position, he found, is clear: Canada’s policies to fight the climate crisis, protect nature and defend Indigenous Rights are a “problem,” and environmental organizations are “opponents.”
Carl downloaded the documents, which were prepared for meetings of “Canadian Energy Prosperity funders,” right from the website of a group called Energy In Action.
The day after he emailed the group to ask about the documents, the website was locked behind a password.
“I was surprised that Energy In Action, which is connected to public advocacy groups, responded by making their website private,” Carl told me. “I’ve done stories in the past where that kind of lockdown has happened, but it’s been a long time.”
As of today, the website appears to have gone offline entirely.
According to a new report by Greenpeace Canada, Energy In Action is a network of groups, including lobbyists, think-tanks and media, with a shared interest in promoting the fossil fuel industry.
Carl reached out to Energy In Action, as well as many of the groups and individuals associated with it, but they did not respond to his many requests.
Read Carl’s story for details on how fossil fuel advocates propose to move “from defence to offence” against environmental advocacy, “problem” policies and their so-called “opponents.”
Take care and take no offence,
Jacqueline Ronson
Assistant editor
P.S. Carl can keep revealing not-so-secret secrets like these because more than 7,700 readers like you regularly support this work. That includes 338 new members who responded to our call to take the plunge in September — thank you SO MUCH for your support!
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That feeling when you see a dog treat document just lying there, in plain sight. Tell your friends to subscribe to The Narwhal’s newsletter for journalism that will make their eyes pop!
