Canadians who dare to say things like “burning natural gas is cleaner than burning coal” could be thrown in prison under a new NDP bill that seeks to criminalize the promotion of fossil fuels.
The new draconian “anti-free speech” law – C-372, which is currently being pushed by MP Charlie Angus, aims to make it illegal to make statements promoting fossil fuels regardless of whether they are true.
C-372, otherwise known as “The Fossil Fuels Advertising Act,” will “prohibit the promotion of fossil fuels except in accordance with the provisions of the Act.”
Last week, Angus announced in the House of Commons:
“Today, I am proud to rise and introduce a bill that would make illegal, false advertising by the oil and gas industry.”
He also charged that the oil and gas sector was pushing “disinformation” and “killing people.”
The bill, which Angus framed as the industry’s “big tobacco moment,” goes well beyond banning the promotion of oil and gas companies.
Angus defines “promotion” broadly:
“A representation about a product or service by any means, whether directly or indirectly, including any communication of information about the product or service and its price and distribution, that is likely to influence and shape attitudes, beliefs and behaviors about the product or service.”
That which is not expressly permitted is forbidden:
“This enactment enacts the Fossil Fuel Advertising Act to prohibit the promotion of fossil fuels except in accordance with the provisions of the Act. “
“It is prohibited for a person to promote a fossil fuel, a fossil fuel-related brand element, or the production of a fossil fuel,” reads the Act.
Any Canadian who violates the proposed law faces fines of up to $500,000.
Oil and gas companies who violate the law face up to two years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, The National Post reported.
The Act also criminalizes several arguments for oil and gas, even factual ones.
Section 8 of the Act says that a person who argues that fossil fuel is “less harmful than other fossil fuels” is committing a criminal offense. The section also says that anyone claiming fossil fuels are beneficial to “the health of Canadians, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples or the Canadian or global economy” should be arrested.
Anyone arguing that natural gas generates energy with fewer pollutants than diesel or coal would be given a two-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $500,000.
Yet, Bill C-372 is replete with fear-mongering claims like this:
“Whereas air pollution caused by fossil fuels leads to millions of premature deaths globally, including tens of thousands of premature deaths in Canada alone, and is a major cause of cancer, respiratory illness, adverse pregnancy outcomes, children’s diseases and cardiovascular symptoms.”
Such statements echo that of Al Gore’s at the World Economic Forum event in Davos 2023 when he claimed, “Climate change causes the equivalent of 600,000 Hiroshima class bombs per day!”
Section 9 of the bill would also crush the ability of Canadian gas stations to issue loyalty cards, making it illegal for a retailer to “provide or offer to provide any consideration for the purchase of a fossil fuel.”
While Trudeau’s government is already hell-bent on removing their citizen’s freedom of movement, Angus’s bill, if passed, would be the final nail in the coffin for freedom of speech.
While the Trudeau government is able to throw around phrases like “existential threat” and other climate doom terminology, normal law-abiding citizens will be denied their ability to argue against such claims.
