June 19th, Bill C-59 It has received final reading. One measure of the legislation includes: Competition law amendments We will enforce greenwashing laws, including what companies say about their environmental impacts and what they are doing to combat climate change. Fortunately, this bill passed into law because all political parties in our government recognized that truth in advertising is an essential part of protecting consumers and investors.
But something strange happened later that day. Pathways Alliance, a consortium of six of the largest oil companies operating in the oil sands, Scrubbed it They have removed all content from their website and social media pages, claiming that changes to competition laws mean they can no longer talk about what they are doing to tackle climate change.
In particular, various other oil industry organizations soon followed suit. Canadian Petroleum Producers Association (CAPP) Canada’s largest oil lobbying group goes public declaration “The effect of this bill is to silence the energy industry,” the website said.
There is no stronger evidence that this law is needed than industries that feel “silenced” because they have to tell the truth. We do not want any company to make false or misleading claims, but this is especially dangerous in industries with a strong impact on health, such as food and pharmaceuticals, or an enormous impact on the environment, such as oil and gas.
The proposed amendments in Bill C-59 provide a clear standard for determining what a company can say: proving that it is true. The obligation to prove that what you say is true is not a radical new requirement. It is a normal part of how our legal and government systems work, and in fact, how our entire society works. Proving that your claims are true is nothing new. Competition lawThere is only one now More clear criteria And a bigger backlash against misleading claims and outright lies. And it’s not new on the international stage. Many countries have similar standards for environmental claims, which are important for trade and investment. Competitors have already committed to providing guidance on sustainability statements. The Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guide and UK Competition and Markets Authority’s Green Billing Code.
What is disappointing, but not surprising, is that the anti-greenwashing amendments to this law have forced some companies to change their websites, social media channels, and advertising to tell the truth. But what is surprising is that these fossil fuel industry organizations are willing to openly acknowledge that these amendments will have a significant impact on what they can say.
This isn’t the first time Pathways Alliance has changed its website’s claims. In the fall of 2022, Their website It was filled with images of clear blue skies with phrases like “Clear the air” and “Help Canada reach its climate goals.” And in 2023, it got even bolder. message “We are taking clear steps towards net zero,” he said against a blue sky. But Greenpeace Canada filed a complaint with the Competition Bureau, alleging that Pathways Alliance’s extensive advertising campaign contained false and misleading claims, and the Bureau launched an investigation into the truthfulness of the message. As the investigation progressed, Pathways Narrowed the environmental claims The website states, “The Canadian Oil Sands are on a path to achieving net-zero emissions from operations.” The addition of “from operations” is particularly significant because even if a net-zero plan were feasible, it would not include 80% of emissions from operations. Downstream uses of their products.
But why do these organizations act as if they can’t lie, they won’t say anything? If this amendment really concerns the company, then this law is desperately needed. If removing content from the Internet is just a gimmick to get attention, it can backfire. On June 20, Pathways changed a note on its website to add that removing the content “is not related to our belief in the truthfulness and accuracy of our environmental communications,” following new reports that it had removed the content.
The truth in advertising is not complicated. If telling the truth means you can’t talk about your industry, then the problem is not with the law, but with industry lying.
Nola Poirier,
Senior Researcher and Writer at Greenpeace Canada
