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Fighting to advance an honest conversation about climate change

August 24, 2016

We helped six prominent Canadians call on the Commissioner of Competition to investigate false representations made by climate change denier groups.

The debate is over about whether or not climate change is real, there is undeniable evidence from around the world that points to the fact that climate change is happening now. And the majority of scientists who study climate change agree that human activity is responsible for the changing climate.

Despite the overwhelming amount of established scientific consensus that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity, there are a few critics claiming otherwise. They are known as climate change deniers. Groups, such as Friends of Science, pollute the public square with falsehoods and junk science, and undermine our ability to have an honest conversation about possible solutions to slow climate change, like transitioning to a clean energy future.

That’s why in December 2015 we helped six prominent Canadians call on Canada’s Commissioner of Competition to investigate false and misleading representations made by denier groups in contravention of the Competition Act.

In June 2016, the Competition Bureau launched an investigation and took the first step toward accountability for those who would misrepresent climate science to promote business interests.

Canada needs to be able to have an honest conversation about how it plans to address climate change and transition to a clean energy future. This conversation is undermined when climate change denier groups, powered by special interests, pollute the public square with falsehoods and junk science for the purpose of promoting business interests.

We believe that by clearing the air and removing falsehoods about climate change, that conversation can happen.

What does this outcome mean?

In July 2017, the Commissioner of Competition’s decided to discontinue the inquiry into climate science misrepresentations in Canada.

The urgency of transitioning to a new, cleaner energy future demands that our public conversation be based on the weight of scientific evidence, not falsehoods and junk-science. And the fact remains that the confusion these climate change denier groups sow about the causes and severe consequences of climate change makes it difficult to have necessary and meaningful conversations about how Canada can accelerate that transition.

We will continue to do our part to fight for honest conversations about climate science and policy that keep Canada moving forward.

Aug 2017
Photo of girl sweeping solar panels in the United
press release

STATEMENT: Competition Bureau drops climate denier investigation, Ecojustice reacts

TORONTO — Ecojustice lawyer Charles Hatt made the following statement in response to the Commissioner of Competition’s decision to discontinue an inquiry into climate science misrepresentations in Canada: “We are extremely disappointed that after more than a year, the Competition Bureau has dropped its investigation into climate denier groups who appear to purposely mislead and.
Aug 2017
Friends of Science billboard
blog

Off the hook: Competition Bureau drops climate denier investigation

After more than a year of investigation, the Bureau is letting climate deniers off the hook Last month we learned that the Competition Bureau has dropped its investigation into several climate change denier groups that have publically misrepresented climate science on billboards and online.
Jan 2017
Person surveys flooded residential street
blog

How to get away with ignoring climate change

President Trump isn’t the only one ignoring climate science A little over a year ago, in December 2015, we helped six prominent Canadians call on the Commissioner of Competition to investigate climate change denier groups.
Jun 2016
An oil rig is on fire in the middle of the ocean. Many boats surround it and douse the flames with water. Black smoke billows into the sky.
blog

No denying it

The age of accountability begins for climate denier groups Recently we learned that the Competition Bureau is going to investigate several climate denier groups that have publicly misrepresented climate science on billboards and the web.
Dec 2015
Person surveys flooded residential street
press release

Leading Canadians call for investigation of climate change denier groups

False representations mislead Canadians and violate the Competition Act TORONTO — Six leading Canadians are calling on the Commissioner of Competition to investigate false and misleading representations made by climate change denier groups, such as Friends of Science.