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Catherine McKenna photographed with an apron from the oil company Enbridge
17/02/18
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(Modified machine translation)
February 13, 2018
Federal Minister of the Environment Catherine McKenna participated earlier this month in a pancake breakfast sponsored by Enbridge, while wearing an apron with the logo of the company involved in the oil pipeline industry and the tar sands.
On a photo posted on Catherine McKenna's official Facebook page, the minister is serving pancakes as part of Enbridge's annual "Winterlude" Ottawa Ballroom Luncheon, a popular annual event in the federal capital.
Ms. McKenna, wearing an apron with the Alberta oil company logo, distributes plates to participants with Jim Sanders, President of Enbridge Gas Distribution. The latter is wearing the same apron as the minister.
Critics
The photo, which has been shared by several environmental activists, has sparked very critical comments on the Canadian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. Some see it as support to the oil industry, or more directly to Enbridge, a multinational that operates a large pipeline and pipeline system across the country.
"This misconduct is in line with the decisions of the Trudeau government, which approved the Enbridge and Kinder Morgan pipeline projects and wants to impose the latter despite opposition from British Columbia and the First Nations. This government is so stuck on the oil companies that it does not even see any problem for his Minister of the Environment to make an infomercial for pipelines." denounced the spokesman of Greenpeace, Patrick Bonin.
Since his election, the Trudeau government has approved a major project for the company. This is the expansion of Line 3, a pipeline that will export 760,000 barrels of oil sands oil per day to the United States.
Asked to react, the office of Catherine McKenna did not wish to comment on the criticisms made by some Internet users, following the publication of the photo on Facebook. Her press secretary, Marie-Pascale Des Rosiers, simply recalled that the minister was presented at the Enbridge sponsored breakfast as a "member" in the Ottawa region. She also indicated that this is an annual event that has been in existence for 14 years.
"Error of judgment"
Thierry Giasson, a full professor in the Department of Political Science at Laval University, believes that wearing an Enbridge logo-covered apron is an "error of judgment" on the part of the Minister of the Environment. "It would have been better for her not to wear this apron," he added, especially as "she is very identified in the fight against climate change on the international scene".
Mr. Giasson believes, however, that this misstep should not be very harmful to the reputation of the Minister. "The risks of serious damage to her reputation are pretty small, in my opinion. She rarely makes 'faux pas', while she is one of the most visible spokespersons for the government, and she is very active on social media. "
On a photo posted on Catherine McKenna's official Facebook page, the minister is serving pancakes as part of Enbridge's annual "Winterlude" Ottawa Ballroom Luncheon, a popular annual event in the federal capital.
Ms. McKenna, wearing an apron with the Alberta oil company logo, distributes plates to participants with Jim Sanders, President of Enbridge Gas Distribution. The latter is wearing the same apron as the minister.
Critics
The photo, which has been shared by several environmental activists, has sparked very critical comments on the Canadian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. Some see it as support to the oil industry, or more directly to Enbridge, a multinational that operates a large pipeline and pipeline system across the country.
"This misconduct is in line with the decisions of the Trudeau government, which approved the Enbridge and Kinder Morgan pipeline projects and wants to impose the latter despite opposition from British Columbia and the First Nations. This government is so stuck on the oil companies that it does not even see any problem for his Minister of the Environment to make an infomercial for pipelines." denounced the spokesman of Greenpeace, Patrick Bonin.
Since his election, the Trudeau government has approved a major project for the company. This is the expansion of Line 3, a pipeline that will export 760,000 barrels of oil sands oil per day to the United States.
Asked to react, the office of Catherine McKenna did not wish to comment on the criticisms made by some Internet users, following the publication of the photo on Facebook. Her press secretary, Marie-Pascale Des Rosiers, simply recalled that the minister was presented at the Enbridge sponsored breakfast as a "member" in the Ottawa region. She also indicated that this is an annual event that has been in existence for 14 years.
"Error of judgment"
Thierry Giasson, a full professor in the Department of Political Science at Laval University, believes that wearing an Enbridge logo-covered apron is an "error of judgment" on the part of the Minister of the Environment. "It would have been better for her not to wear this apron," he added, especially as "she is very identified in the fight against climate change on the international scene".
Mr. Giasson believes, however, that this misstep should not be very harmful to the reputation of the Minister. "The risks of serious damage to her reputation are pretty small, in my opinion. She rarely makes 'faux pas', while she is one of the most visible spokespersons for the government, and she is very active on social media. "
[Photo: Facebook Federal Minister of the Environment, Catherine McKenna, with Jim Sanders, President of Enbridge Gas Distribution (center), at the annual Ottawa Winterlude Enbridge Luncheon in early February]
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