C-372, also known as the Fossil Fuel Advertising Act, was tabled Monday as a private member’s bill by NDP MP Charlie Angus
C-372, also known as the Fossil Fuel Advertising Act, was tabled Monday as a private member’s bill by Charlie Angus, the MP for Timmins-James Bay and a longtime member of the NDP caucus.
“Today, I am proud to rise and introduce a bill that would make illegal false advertising by the oil and gas industry,” Angus announced in the House of Commons.
He added that the oil and gas sector was trafficking in “disinformation” and “killing people.” Angus also twice framed his bill as the dawn of the industry’s “big tobacco moment” — an apparent reference to Canada’s blanket federal ban on tobacco advertising.
But C-372 goes well beyond merely banning advertising by oil and gas companies.
As a private member’s bill introduced by the member of a party with only 25 seats in the House of Commons, Bill C-372 has almost zero chance of passing. But as written, the act would technically apply to any Canadian who is found to be speaking well of the oil industry, or of oil generally.
“It is prohibited for a person to promote a fossil fuel, a fossil fuel-related brand element or the production of a fossil fuel,” reads the act.
Violate this as a regular citizen, and the act prescribes summary conviction and a fine of up to $500,000. Violate it as an oil company, and the punishment could be as strict as two years in jail or a fine of $1,000,000.
@blendrnewsNDP MP (Canada’s New Democratic Party federal Member of Parliament) Charlie Angus, just introduced a bill to criminalize the promotion of fossil fuels, including jail time. Critics of this video are likely to say that this bill only applies to fossil fuel manufacturers, however, the bill is laden with vague legal language and uses the term “person,” which in legal contexts typically includes both individuals and entities, suggesting that the prohibition applies broadly. This bill has many concerning elements, such as: Infringements on Freedom of Expression Impact on Public Discourse Potential for Overreach Potential for Overreach Criminalization of Opinion Chilling Effect on Advocacy Potential for Economic Consequences Inconsistency with Scientific Debate It is unlikely that this bill will pass, however, this should be a warning sign to everyone for the overreach that the government would happily enact in order to stamp out dissent towards its tyrannical climate change initiatives. Do you support the prohibition of fossil fuel promotion?♬ original sound – Blendr News – Blendr News
