Following The 'Foreign Money Trail' on Northern Gateway

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VICTORIA -- As the National Energy Board hearings into the proposed $5.5-billion Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline continue both sides now say the debate has been polluted by foreign money.

The pro oil sands lobby ethicaloil.org has been hard at work criticizing the critics of the project, most recently by pointing out U.S and British funding of groups like the Pembina Institute and others who are interveners in the NEB review.

The narrative has caught on among Canada's Conservative government, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Natural Resource Minister Joe Oliver both accusing environmental groups of being "foreign puppets" who are "hijacking the process" against the economic interests of Canadians. BC Premier Christy Clark and Finance Minister Kevin Falcon have also echoed the ethical oil ethos in recent interviews.

The pipeline's opponents are mounting a counter-strike -- pointing out what they say is the much bigger, and more worrisome foreign money trail; one that ends in Beijing.


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