Environmentalists Claim TransCanada Uses 'Dirty Tricks' in PR Battle Over Oil Sands

摘要

Canadian environmental groups have accused TransCanada Corp. of using questionable tactics in seeking public and regulatory support for its proposal to pipe more than a million barrels of oil per day nearly 3,000 miles from the Alberta oil sands to the country's Atlantic Coast. But the company said it is only ensuring a fair hearing for its Energy East plan. TransCanada's public relations campaign, developed by PR firm Edelman to address the company's concerns about growing opposition to its C$12 billion ($10.6 billion) Energy East proposal, amounts to "dirty tricks," said Keith Stewart, climate and energy campaign coordinator for Greenpeace. Citing documents leaked to Greenpeace, Stewart alleged the TransCanada-Edelman PR strategy includes forming fake public interest groups to create the appearance of greater public support for the project and developing tactics to discredit groups that oppose Energy East. "These documents show that TransCanada is planning a secret dirty-tricks campaign, using third parties to attack and smear its critics," Stewart said in a statement Nov. 18.