Vivian Krause styles her self as an “independent researcher.” Her work is increasingly a favourite of right wing columnists on Postmedia and now Sunmedia
The spin from the conservative columnists, now echoed by the Conservative government is that the environmental opposition to the Northern Gateway is all coming from US based environmental foundations, with the hidden agenda of undermining the Canadian economy.
Only one main stream media report doesn’t praise Krause to the skies came from Gary Mason in the Globe and Mail
The next great pipeline debate – and U.S. funding
Whether or not Krause has a legitimate point about American foundations funding Canadian environmental causes, there has, so far, been no balancing investigation of the money spent by American or other energy companies in Canada to promote their cause.
Here are a few relevant links
Vivian Krause’s site Fair Questions
Krause’s list (of mostly positive for her) media coverage. It is quite extensive but will give you an idea of how widespread her message has reached.
Coverage not found in Krause’s list at this posting
Enbridge boss points to ‘curious’ funding of pipeline opposition by U.S. charities: Edmonton Journal
Foreigners funding ‘mischief’ against Canada’s oilsands: Kent Sunmedia
Environment Minister Peter Kent adds to the controversy.
U.S. billionaires ‘bullying’ Canada on environment: Researcher Sunmedia (with a quote showing that Stephen Harper supports Krause’s campaign)
Ezra Levant writes a column for Toronto Sun, calling on the Joint Review Panel to restrict the number of people who will testify against the pipeline.
An “ethicial oil” spokeswoman, Kathryn Marsall then adds to the mix with
The Big Money Behind the Anti-Oil Sands Movement in the Huffington Post
The National Post then claims the it also the UK that is funding the opposition
Anti-oil sands think-tank being funded by U.K.
and finally a Black Press columnist named Tom Fletcher repeats it all again in The Alberni Valley News. (I note that as far as I can find out, none of the northern newspapers in the Black Press chain ran this, or at least ran it prominently)
B.C. a playground for eco-stunts
(a Facebook friend linked to the article, somehow our subsequent discussion about Star Trek got posted, probably because Black Press lets you sign in from FB)
Now, the Minister of Natural Resources, Joe Oliver, is pushing the Northern Gateway pipeline every chance he gets despite the fact the Joint Review Panel hasn’t even started hearings. but in The Vancouver Sun in Protests won’t stop Northern Gateway pipeline, minister says
He wouldn’t comment on the argument heard in the oilpatch that American money is being driven by broader interests fearful of the U.S. losing its virtual monopoly on the
landlocked oilsands resource.
“I’m not into conspiracy theories.”
In contrast to this huge campaign, there is no one, no one, as of this date, in the mainstream media putting perspective on the story.
One blog from George Ghoberg at the University of British Columbia is:
Foreign influence on Canadian energy and environmental policy: A request for some balance
I wrote two earlier columns on the subject.
Joint Review media analysis Part two: Postmedia and The Great American Energy Conspiracy
From the Environmental point of view. the Pembina Institute has responded to the attacks on its integrity and credibility
Attacks on environmental group supporters are disingenuous and disturbing
The David Suzuki Foundation has responded to Krause’s separate attacks on Suzuki’s opposition to salmon farming
DSF responds to questions about salmon farming
And to put things in somewhat of a wider perspective, The Hill, which covers Capitol Hill in Washington DC had this story on all the companies that lobbied for the Keystone XL pipeline.