Vivian Krause made her way to Lloydminster to present her findings on campaigns against Canadian oil production. Krause is a writer and researcher known for following the money behind anti-oil activism in Canada.
Many Lloydminster residents gathered at the Vic Juba Community Theatre on Thursday, March 28. In the closest thing many have had to a college lecture in a long time, Krause presented her findings to let them decide. Authentic tax documents trace millions of dollars behind anti-pipeline activism back to wealthy American philanthropists and charitable organizations.
Krause understands the good-intention behind these donations. Many are meant to preserve the environment, but Krause argues it’s just targeting Canada as a whole.
“It punishes Canada, it benches Canada, It’s bullying Canada out of the global oil market. Meanwhile, nothing of the sort is being done to Texas or North Dakota,” says Krause.
She argues that while these donations are made in the name of going green, they haven’t kept a single barrel of oil in the ground. While other places produce oil, Krause says that there are unfair targets on Alberta and Saskatchewan for their own industries. She believes there ought to be a better focus for these types of goals because what’s happening right now does more harm than good.
“I believe in foreign funding. I believe in charities. I think we need charities to get back to doing charities. But what’s happening right now is sabotage, in the name of charity and in the name of protecting the environment, what’s actually being protected is American interests that are benefitting from the monopoly the United States has on our oil.”
Krause believes that it comes down to the need for legal action. Not a long court battle to drag on for years but a public inquiry, She hopes to inspire audiences with her research and see them ask governments of prairie provinces to stand up for oil and gas.