After Cutting 100s Of Millions In Green Energy Funding, Canada Rolls Out (Yes!) New PR Campaign

OTTAWA — The Harper government is facing a “challenging” task to promote the benefits of energy efficiency for Canadians in light of hundreds of millions of dollars of reductions in green spending, says a federal public-relations strategy obtained by Postmedia News.

“Stakeholders and media have questioned Canada’s ability to become a leader in clean energy based on the government’s support of oil and gas development,” said the strategy document, prepared for Natural Resources Canada’s top bureaucrat and released through access-to-information legislation. “With fewer incentives and therefore potentially fewer announcements, it will be challenging to communicate the benefits of energy efficiency.”

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and members of his caucus fanned out across the country Friday to promote an $82-million investment (Ed. - ) announced in a budget from two years earlier for dozens of clean-energy projects.

EDIT

It suggested the government could boost its image by drawing up a list of “targeted media outlets” and proposing that they write stories about the department’s research work to promote energy efficiency in consumer products, including new fuel economy labels on cars.

“By describing and publicizing the science and tools behind energy efficiency, this framework will communicate the government’s balanced energy policy and its benefits for Canada’s economy and the environment.” However, the department didn’t follow its strategy in the past week, preventing its own senior officials from speaking publicly about a plan to create environmental ratings stickers on new cars.

EDIT

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/strategy+proposed+compensate+federal+cuts+climate+change+spending/8335096/story.html