US foundations influencing Canadian aquaculture policy

Opinion

Odd Grydeland

The fact that dollars from foundations created by wealthy U.S. industrialists have been flowing into the coffers of environmental groups based in British Columbia is no secret. Many of these environmental groups have been enjoying a tax-free or charitable status, where money from donors to their various causes is deductible from an individual or corporations tax bill. But a recent revelation by a Vancouver-based researcher has exposed some of this activity and how it might be aimed at political influence rather than just environmental protection.

It turns out that the current Mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson, received hundreds of thousands of dollars towards his election campaign from organizations or individuals associated with an environmental movement based in British Columbia, but largely funded by U.S. based organizations. According to a recent article in The Straight, journalist Charlie Smith explains that Mr. Robertson was a director of Tides Canada from 2002 to 2005. And the Mayor’s chief of staff was a senior policy advisor for the same organization from 2002 to 2007.

Tides Canada has been one of the main sources of funding for many of the anti-salmon farming campaigns carried out in B.C. over the years, without disclosing where their money comes from. The Vancouver Mayor acknowledges that “..my concerns about open-net-cage salmon farming are well known..”, without providing any reasons for this concern. Some of the backers of Mr. Robertson’s campaign have developed a 500 year plan to impose “social change” to the population of British Columbia.

The issue has been picked up by the national media, and comments like these are flowing into web sites;

Using environmental scare tactics and manipulating Canadian politics while enacting 500 year plans of delusional utopia is nothing short of criminal. I am sickened by the thought of these wealthy few sitting back and pulling strings all over Canada in order to further their power into the future. This is like some demented James Bond plot with no hero to save us. Tides needs to be exposed for what it is and Robertson needs to realize that he is in over his head. It's time for the rest of the country to speak up against these groups and shift the power to those who live here and not just those who have chosen to live here.

(Vivian) Krause has successfully unearthed evidence that a group of individuals, all of whom provide record-breaking political donations to Gregor Robertson & Vision Vancouver, while being paid large sums by US charities.

The Mayor claims to The Straight that there is a “well-organized campaign to besmirch...  the work we’re doing at city hall and organizations like Tides..”.