See the Greenpeace oil spill ad rejected by Canada’s largest billboard company

Blogpost by Mike Hudema – Greenpeace Canada – June 19, 2012 

Last week after Alberta suffered yet another pipeline spill, this one threatening the drinking water supply of tens of thousands of Albertans, we wanted to send Premier Alison Redford a very clear message about the need to invest in green jobs and stop the growing number of toxic oil spills (in 2010, there were 687 failures, the majority of them leaks in Alberta, which resulted in 3,416 cubic metres of spilled hydrocarbons).

The way we decided to do it was to rent a billboard right in the heart of Edmonton (at Jasper Avenue and 106 Street NW). We booked the space, sent the artwork over and were preparing the release calling on the Premier to go green and conduct an independent review of pipeline safety in Alberta when we got this message from Pattison:

“The artwork has been rejected.”

No explanation. No rational, nada.

This is hardly one of Greenpeace’s more hard-hitting ads but you be the judge. 

Text of the banned ad:

The fact that this ad was denied is more than a little worrying. I mean what does it say about the state of public debate in this country when the tar sands industry can put billboards up across the country talking about how toxic tailings are just like yogurt, but a billboard highlighting the rash of oil spills and the need for green energy is rejected.

It’s mind blowing, but that’s the situation we find ourselves in.  It seems like the climate for alternative voices is decreasing all the time.

This ad was intended to help raise public awareness and push for a full public inquiry into the safety of Alberta’s pipeline system. Since Pattison won’t let us get the message out we need you to help push back!

Tell Alberta’s Premier Alison Redford that it’s time for an independent inquiry on pipeline safety and that we need green jobs not more oil spills.