PrimeMinistersOfficeTriestoSilencePipelineCritics;LabelsEnvironmentalGroup EnemyoftheGovernmentofCanadaandEnemyofthepeopleofCanada. AWhistleblowersOpenLettertotheCitizensofCanada MynameisAndrewFrank.IgrewupinasmalltownintheOkanaganvalleyofBritish Columbia.Mygranddadtaughtmehowtofish.Myfatherwasawellrespectedlawyer knownforhisunwaveringintegrity,andmymotherwasafavouritekindergartenteacher. Bothhavealwaysimpresseduponmetheimportanceoftellingthetruth. Today,Iamtakingtheextraordinarystepofriskingmycareer,myreputationandmy personalfriendships,toactasawhistleblowerandexposetheundemocraticand potentiallyillegalpressuretheHarpergovernmenthasapparentlyappliedtosilencecritics oftheEnbridgeNorthernGatewayoiltanker/pipelineplan.
n. AsIhavedetailedinaswornaffidavit,nolessthanthreeseniormanagerswithTides CanadaandForestEthics(acharitableprojectofTidesCanada),haveinformedme,asthe SeniorCommunicationsManagerforForestEthics,thatTidesCanadaCEO,RossMcMillan, wasinformedbythePrimeMinistersOffice,thatForestEthicsisconsideredanEnemyof theGovernmentofCanada,andanEnemyofthepeopleofCanada. ThislanguagewasapparentlypartofathreatbythePrimeMinistersOfficetochallenge thecharitablestatusofTidesCanadaifitdidnotagreetostopfundingForestEthics, specificallyitsworkopposingoilsandsexpansionandconstructionofoilsands tanker/pipelineroutesinCanada. ThisisespeciallyconcerningbecauseForestEthicsisalegallyregisteredintervenorinthe NationalEnergyBoardsJointReviewPanelprocess,currentlyexaminingtheEnbridgeoil tanker/pipelineproposal.Byattemptingtosilencearegisteredparticipantinthereview,I feartheHarpergovernmentmayhavepermanentlydamagedtheintegrityofthisprocess. AfterwaitingmorethantwoweeksforTidesCanadatogopublicwiththisstory,ithas becomecleartomethattheorganizationistooafraidofreprisalsfromthegovernmentto act.TidesisresponsiblefortheemploymentofhundredsofCanadiansanddozensof crucialenvironmentalprojectsliketheGreatBearRainforest,andhasbeenunderstandably paralyzedinchallengingthePrimeMinistersOfficeonthismatter.Iontheotherhand,am speakingoutasaprivatecitizenbecauseIfeelthattherightsandcivillibertiesofmyfellow Canadiancitizens,includingfreedomofexpressionandfreedomofspeech,areatrisk. Therewasalookoffearanddisbeliefonmyfellowstaffmembersfacesthedaytheywere toldourowngovernmenthadlabelledthemenemiesofthestate.Ouradministration coordinatorhadtearsinhereyes.Inthedaysthatfollowed,ouremployeescouldntsleep well.Theylosttheirappetites,andtheybegantofearfortheirownpersonalsafetyandcivil liberties,andthoseoftheirfamiliesandlovedones.Theybeganlookingovertheir shoulder,outoffearandparanoia,becausetheirowngovernmentmightbewatchingthem.
Thelanguageofantiterrorism,whenappliedtoCanadiancitizenswholegitimately questionthewisdomofanunsustainableoiltanker/pipelineplan,isanaffronttotherights ofallCanadians.Itisthelanguageofbullying.Itislanguagethatisviolentandabovethe law,andharkenstopreviousexamplesofRCMPsurveillanceofCanadiansforpolitical ratherthanlegalpurposes,includingTommyDouglas.Thecasualuseofsuchloaded languageatthetopofourgovernmentisimmoral,unethicalandprobablyillegal. Astronglyopposedoiltanker/pipelineplanisnowtheleastofthisgovernmentsworries. Initsheavyhandedattempttooverridepublicopposition,thegovernmenthasbreached thepublicstrust. InowinviteCanadians,includingthemediaandmembersoftheHouseofCommons,to challengetheunacceptablebehaviourdescribedinthisletterandsworninmyaffidavit. Approximatelythreeweeksfromnow,Mr.HarperwillvisitChinaonanofficialstatevisit. InChina,AmnestyInternationalassertsthatahalfmillionenemiesofthegovernmentare heldinprisonswithoutcharge. IftheargumentinfavouroftheEnbridgepipelineisthatCanadastandstomakebillions sellingoiltoanoppressiveChinesegovernment,thenmyanswerisnothankyou.Thats notethicaloil,especiallywhenprofitingfromthisoilwealthrequiresrepressivetactics againstcriticalcitizenstacticswewouldnormallyassociatewiththeChinesestate,not Canada. TheeventsofthelastmonthhaveensuredthatIwillnevertakemyrightsasaCanadian citizenforgrantedagain.Thatisbothsadandencouraging.SadthatIeverhadtoquestion them,andencouragingbecauseIhavebeenremindedofanotherlessontaughttomebymy parents:thebestwaytostopabullyistostanduptohim. Iinviteyoutojoinmeinexpressingyourvoiceonwhatisperhapsthemostpressingmoral crisisfacingournationtoday.Togetherwecanholdthisgovernmenttoaccountand preventthedismantlingofCanadiancivilsocietyandthefurthererosionofcitizensrights. AndrewFrankisaCanadiancitizen,andtheformerSeniorCommunicationsManagerwith ForestEthicsCanada.HeisalsoaninstructorintheEnvironmentalProtectionTechnology programatKwantlenPolytechnicUniversity,inSurrey,BritishColumbia.
