NDP MP Charlie Angus takes on Big Oil’s misleading advertising as Liberals give them a free ride

OTTAWA— On Tuesday, NDP MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) discussed his private member’s bill to stop the misleading advertising and promotion of fossil fuels in Canada.

The move comes after documents revealed that Big Oil knew the harm to their products as far back at 1954 but still spent billions of dollars in advertising campaigns to mislead the public and cover up the clear risks posed to public health and the planet.

MP Angus stood with health-care professionals and other advocates.

“Pollution from Canada’s oil and gas industry is not just killing the planet, it is harming people. Trudeau’s Liberals have just sat by and given Big Oil a free ride,” Angus said. “Every year, 34,000 people die prematurely in Canada from fossil fuel pollution, and yet the Big Oil lobby continues to pump enormous sums in to advertising campaigns to falsely claim the benefits of allowing even more burning of fossil fuels."

Passage of Bill C-372 will mean that no fossil fuel company will be able to advertise, promote their products, nor mislead the public about the health and environmental threats posed by the burning of fossil fuels, which the World Health Organization now says is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. The legislation will protect Canadians from the growing health effects caused by the burning of fossil fuels and prevent the public from being deceived or misled about the health and environmental effects of fossil fuel use.

“While the Liberals and Conservatives cover for Big Oil, the NDP is standing up to corporate greed and fighting for the health and wellbeing of Canadians,” stated Angus.

Quotes:

“When the smoke from wildfires gets so bad that kids can’t go outside to play, and flooding and extreme temperatures become the norm, the status quo is simply not an option anymore, this isn’t the world we want our kids to grow up in. Banning fossil fuel advertisements targets the big polluters that are making our planet – and our kids – sick and misleading Canadians about it.” - Jennifer Smith, parent with the For Our Kids network and Mères au front.

“Last year 2023 was the hottest year ever recorded. It was also the year that the world committed to transition away from fossil fuels. A fossil fuel ad ban is a concrete and cost effective action that the Canadian government can take to save lives and make good on this commitment, Bill C-372 is an important step in stemming the campaign of disinformation from the oil and gas industry and addressing this national public health crisis. It is past time to take on the Big Oil advertising lobby with the same determination that was used to deal with Big Tobacco’s promotion of cigarette smoking,” - Leah Temper, Campaign Director for CAPE.

"The federal government’s top priority should be protecting Canadians’ health. Fossil fuel giants shouldn’t be allowed to promote their harmful products and then lie about their risks to the Canadians who will pay for it – many of them with poorer health and even their lives” - Émilie Tremblay, a nurse, Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment.