MEET THE VILLAINS BEHIND CANADA'S CLIMATE CRISIS

Oil and gas companies don’t want you to know the outsized role they have played in causing the climate crisis. They have known about the impacts of their industry for decades, and worked relentlessly to expand and finance climate-wrecking fossil fuels, block climate action, and spread disinformation. And there are influential players behind Canada's oil and gas industry who need to be held accountable. These villains are more concerned about their profits and wealth than the future of the planet.

Click on a villain below to learn how they prevent efforts to build a healthy, equitable world, beyond fossil fuels. 

Rich Kruger

Nightmare on Oil Street

Rich Kruger Mobile
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Gregory L. Ebel

Pipeline Pusher

Gregory Ebel Mobile
Click Here

Murray Edwards

The Fossil Fuel Fanatic

Murray Edwards Mobile
Click Here

Lisa
Baiton

The Lying Lobbyist

2
Click Here

Brad
Corson

Toxic Traitor

Learn More
6
Click Here

Dave
Mc Kay

Mr. Money Bags

3
Click Here

Susannah
Pierce

Ruthless Greenwasher

Susannah Pierce
Click Here

Arthur
Irving

East Coast Emperor

8
Click Here

Michael
Binnion

Mastermind of Petro-Populism

4
Click Here

Alex
Pourbaix

Big Oil Spindoctor

7
Click Here

HOW THESE VILLAINS OPERATE

Expanding oil and gas production

Oil and gas companies are heavily subsidized by governments in Canada - and have been for decades. In 2022, a year where the industry was making record profits, the Government of Canada provided over $20 billion in federal financial support in just one year. Meanwhile, oil and gas companies only spent 0.4 per cent of their record high revenues on reducing their greenhouse gas pollution.

Weakening climate policies

By heavily lobbying governments, these villains weaken, delay and/or kill climate policies in order to protect their own profits and get away with creating huge amounts of greenhouse gas pollution.

Promoting false solutions

Oil and gas companies are promoting false solutions (like carbon capture and storage) that will have a negligible impact on emissions but  give the industry excuses to continue expanding their production, destroying ecosystems and perpetuating injustice. These companies are running  

Spreading lies and disinformation

For decades, oil and gas companies have been spreading lies and misleading the public and governments. They have successfully manufactured doubt about climate science and uncertainty about climate solutions like renewable energy.

We keep track of when Canada's Climate Villains lobby the federal government to weaken and delay climate action.

Find out more

WHAT HAVE THE VILLAINS BEEN UP TO?

MEET THE VILLAINS

Canada's Oil and Gas industry has long been the biggest barrier to climate action. Despite the harmful impacts that people in Canada and around the world are suffering daily from the warming climate and lack of action, the oil and gas industry continues to spew pollution and rake in record profits and receive billions in government subsidies. We are done taking the blame as individuals. The time to expose the true climate villains is now!

THINGS THE OIL INDUSTRY DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW

SEND US YOUR NOMINATIONS

Who else do you think we should name, blame and publicly shame? Add your own Climate Villain to the list for our team to review and you might see it featured on our page!

This Climate Villains campaign is a little different from other Environmental Defence work. In this campaign we’re prioritizing people outside of government. Why? Because they’re often able to hide from public scrutiny as corporate entities aren’t subject to traditional democratic methods, like elections, to keep them accountable. So, we want to hear from you! Who are the people with money and power who are contributing to climate change?

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As a registered charity, Environmental Defence is not able to partake in partisan activity. Calling on all levels of governments to hold industry accountable for climate change and environmental harm is necessary and important. That’s why the majority of Environmental Defence’s campaigns work to influence government policy.

BE A CLIMATE HERO

It's time to call out the villains behind Canada's Oil and Gas industry and put an end to Big Oil. Sign up to get the latest updates and take action now.

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