OTTAWA
— The Harper government played down opposition accusations Monday that
it was running a “con job” to lobby against climate change policies
abroad affecting the oilsands industry. Instead, the government said it
is trying to “work with industry.”

“The stupidest thing you
can do is to run against an industry that is providing employment for
hundreds of thousands of Canadians, not just in Alberta, but right
across the country,” said Environment Minister John Baird in the House
of Commons in response to a question from Liberal MP Joyce Murray.

Baird said his comments were actually repeating the position of Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff on the oilsands.

“The member (Murray) should listen to the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada,” Baird said.

The
government lobbying efforts were revealed by Postmedia News following
the release of federal documents obtained through an Access to
Information request by Climate Action Network Canada, a coalition of
environmental, labour and faith-based groups. The documents uncovered a
multi-department government communications strategy in partnership with
Alberta and the oil and gas industry to fight global warming policies in
jurisdictions such as the U.S.

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