Yes Men claim responsibility for Canada Copenhagen hoax

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      Yesterday (December 14), the Canadian government pledged to set binding emissions reductions targets of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. Moreover, Canada promised to devote five percent of the country’s GDP to helping developing nations deal with climate change. Or so it initially seemed.

      This morning, the Yes Men, a group of activists known for their use of satire, posted a message on their Web site claiming responsibility for the hoax.

      Here's what transpired:

      Monday morning, a media release announced the ambitious plan. But it quickly became apparent that the e-mail was the first step in an elaborate hoax aimed at shaming the Canadian delegation at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen.

      Since the summit began on December 7, the Conservative government has been accused of playing an obstructionist role in negotiations.

      Following the initial announcement was a second release, this one describing the Ugandan delegation’s alleged praise for Canada’s about-face.

      And then there was a video of a Ugandan woman identified as Margaret Matembe posted on a fake COP15 Web site.

      Next came a story posted on a forged Web site designed to look like the European edition of the Wall Street Journal.

      Then there were two more media releases allegedly from Environment Canada, denying the authenticity of the earlier releases. These too also turned out to be fakes.

      The whole episode climaxed with Dimitri Soudas, spokesperson for the office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, accusing Steven Guilbeault, cofounder and deputy director of Equiterre, of being the source of the hoax.

      Equiterre, which bills itself as a group promoting ecological and socially just choices, described the accusations as “shameful” and requested that the PMO retract its statement.

      In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Soudas refused to do so and described Equiterre’s request as “another PR stunt”.

      But it turns out Equiterre was not responsible for the hoax.

      Today (December 15), a message was posted on the Web site for the Yes Men, which stated that a group calling themselves the Climate Debt Agents brought together members of ActionAid and the Yes Men to craft the ruse.

      “What at first looked like the flip-flop of the century has been revealed as a sophisticated ruse by a coalition of African, North American, and European activists,” the message on the Yes Men’s Web site states.“The purpose: to highlight the most powerful nations' obstruction of meaningful progress in Copenhagen, to push for just climate debt reparations, and to call out Canada in particular for its terrible climate policy.”

      According to December 15 report in the Associated Press, the Yes Men may have more in store for Canada.


      You can follow Travis Lupick on Twitter at twitter.com/tlupick.

      Comments

      4 Comments

      Canadian seeking asylum

      Dec 15, 2009 at 5:17pm

      Has anyone noticed that it is increasingly prevalent for international organizations to try to intervene here whether it has to do with our failures in social, health, environment or human rights?

      Btok

      Dec 15, 2009 at 6:19pm

      Bunch of little anti- democracy Nazi thugs, that should be thrown in jail for fraud and counterfeiting!

      Nothing To Do With Climate, You Want to Sign Up to Be a Slave Today?

      This Copenhagen Summit has nothing to do with Climate Change or the Environment! It is about countries signing away their Sovereignty, so that they can be under the Communist Dictates of the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund that belongs to the Global Elitists!
      The best deal for Canada is no deal and I hope Environment Minister Jim Prentice and Prime Minister Harper, take that attitude seriously!

      There are four reasons the UN and IMF, Global Elitist Members Re: Ban Kai Moon ( Who has openly expressed his stong desire for Global Governance ), PM Gordon Brown, Bilderberg Member Henry Kissinger, Senior Bilderberg Member David Rockefeller as well as an unprecedented number of Dictators that run various countries who are members of the United Nations this Copenhagen Treaty that was designed to acquire four goals, the least of them being climate improvment or protection as Lord Moncton has stated!
      (1.) To de-industrialize Sovereign Countries ( No Jobs keep you dependant on State ) ( 2.) Take your money and assets - Hence, Fraudulent Carbon Emmissions and Carbon Gases for Carbon Credits and Carbon Taxes! (3.) Take away your property (4.) Take away your Sovereignty and Freedom!
      Request that PM Harper DOES NOT sign the Copenhagen Treaty, thereby causing Canadians to lose their Sovereignty and Freedom, email the PM at: pm@pm.gc.ca
      You will be shocked by what you will hear in this main stream radio clip below! http://2gb.com.au/index2.php?option=com_newsmanager&task=view&id=4998
      Check out what Government is doing behind your back at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VebOTc-7shU
      Protest the Inaccurate illegal Copenhagen Treaty: http://www.gopetition.com/online/32485.html

      MAGGIE MAY

      Dec 15, 2009 at 7:32pm

      WHAT A BUNCH OF DORKS

      Funny!

      Dec 15, 2009 at 10:20pm

      Good on the people for pulling this hoax off. This so called (of what/who) who happens to be our Prime "idiot" Minister, has the nerve to go to Copenhagen after his record of contributing to increase GHG emissions, so his pals can rich off the tar sands, despite the fact that the Indigenous people there are dying because of this pollution.

      He has no shame and the sooner he is gone to the political wasteland the better. He is an embarrassment to all Canadians. These young people should be applauded for keeping Harper and Canada in the media on the international stage for his cowardice actions.

      Keep up the good work.