Social media campaign demands an end to huge government hand-outs to polluters in upcoming budget

Social media campaign demands an end to huge government hand-outs to polluters in upcoming budget

For Immediate release

(Ottawa) Organizations are calling on the Canadian Government to end over one billion dollars in hand-outs and tax breaks to rich oil companies in this year’s federal budget.

The federal government has ignored recommendations from the Department of Finance to phase-out these subsidies, and as a result is failing to live up to international commitments under the G20 to end subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.

“It is unacceptable that the government is paying polluters to pollute,” said Sean Devlin of TruthFool Communications. “These companies are some of the richest in the world and yet they are using tax payer dollars to destroy our shared environment and climate.”

Organizations have launched a video and petition campaign that features people being “unfriended” or “dumped” by the current government in favour of rich oil companies.

“Canadians should feel let down by a government that is failing to invest in a safe future for all of us,” says Jamie Biggar of LeadNow.ca. “We are at a crossroads and in the face of massive budget cuts and dangerous climate change Canadians are demanding more of their government.”

The tar sands receive a disproportionate amount of federal subsidies for their ongoing expansion. This industry is Canada’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gas pollution, yet there are currently no federal regulations to reduce these emissions. The Government has begun to phase-out some of the smaller subsidies to oil, coal and gas, but the largest ones remain intact.

“Canadians deserve better than a government that is paying industry to destroy our future,” says Hannah McKinnon of Climate Action Network Canada. “Instead of lining the pockets of oil companies, the government should be investing in the safe, clean and renewable energy of the future, not the dirty energy of the past.”

The campaign can be found here: www.weshouldbefriends.ca

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Further media inquires

Sean Devlin
TruthFool Communications
778.321.7306

Hannah McKinnon
hmckinnon@climateactionnetwork.ca
Climate Action Network Canada
613.276.7791