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Confidential government document exposes Saudi attempt to silence

May 13th, 2012  |  By: Jamie Ellerton

A Confidential government document released by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade through ATIP reveals that Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Canada requested to meet with Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird and complaining about EthicalOil.org was on the agenda.

Given the rest of the briefing note was filled with diplomatic filler, the kind of language UN bureaucrats specialize in, trying to stifle EthicalOil.org’s right to free speech appeared to be the Saudi agenda (document below). From the heavily blacked out document, we’ve learned the Saudis wanted to complain about our advertisement and the Saudi desire to sue us into silence was front and centre.

As Ethical Oil recently wrote on the Globe and Mail.com:

If the Saudi rulers are uncomfortable with the yawning chasm that exists between our ethics and theirs, the remedy is for the Saudis to close the gap by taking human rights seriously. They can start with respecting and liberating women, gays or religious minorities. More than 500 years have passed since the medieval era – the Saudis have had ample time to start catching up with more contemporary values.

We won’t be intimidated and it’s about time the Saudi’s get with the times and start respecting human rights. As Canadians who cherish our liberal-democratic values, we think it is time we choose Ethical Oil and stop supporting are a regime that seeks to suppress free speech in Canada.

With Canada’s oil sands increasing their production, the Ethical Oil alternative exists right here in Canada. Let’s hope projects like this and this become a reality sooner rather than later.

Saudi Ambassador briefing note for Minister Baird

  • Johnqpublic

    For those of you who think that this kind of activity is all “conspriacy theory” here’s more proof.

    Back door politicing and pressure tactics is the way of life for lobbyists and activists – see Forest Ethics, The David Suzuki, and the Sierra Club as three other culprits who believe that they have the right to use foreign money and bully tactics against the Canadian Government.

  • Dial 1 800 Oil Spill

    We should highlight here that Saudi is a pre-approved buyer of Canadian manufactured weapons and weapons platforms… and Canada has sold them plenty… our ethical position on our domestic oil and the way we treat people does not it appears translate to an ethical position on selling weapons to oppressive foreign governments…

    You can’t have it both ways… saying Canada is ethical therefore our oil is ethically produced and much better than Saudi un-ethical oil… and in the same breath sell them the weapons they use to oppress their people…

    I’d like to see ethicaloil delve into this inconsistency in your position… or are you too scared to do it…

  • Confused
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