Alberta government report accuses media of being propagandists for climate change activists

The Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns in January 2021 accused major news outlets in Canada of including “propagandized climate change issues in their reporting,” drawing sharp criticism from the Canadian Association of Journalists. 

The report, which Vice World News reported the Alberta government commissioned for $28,000, states news organizations such as Maclean’s, TVO, CBC, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and National Post are part of a “disturbing” movement to coordinate and distribute such propagandized material against the oil industry.

 CAJ described the comments as a “conspiratorial mischaracterization” of the coverage of climate change issues by Canadian journalists.

“Journalists have a moral obligation to clearly inform the public of any catastrophic threat, whether it’s the coronavirus or climate change,” said CAJ president Brent Jolly (who sits on the Canada Press Freedom Project’s advisory board). “Reporting on climate change should not be seen as an act of advocacy; it is the telling of a very real truth that is unequivocally backed up by scientific facts.”

The $3.5-million inquiry set up by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was established to examine funding of environmental groups and charities claiming “foreign organizations” are sending millions of dollars to back those that are critical of Alberta’s oil industry and specifically oil sands development.