Elections Canada to Investigate Friends of Science

onFeb 17, 2008 @ 14:50 PST

DeSmogBlog Laid Complaint; CanWest sets out the Case

Responding to a complaint that DeSmogBlog manager Kevin Grandia submitted late last year, Elections Canada is reported to be on the trail of the energy industry front group Friends of Science (FOS).

The DeSmog complaint pointed to FOS‘s own materials in stating the case. It is the law in Canada that anyone who spends more than $500 on advocacy advertising during an election must register with elections Canada. FOS siphoned $200,000 through a University of Calgary trust fund (courtesy of Barry Cooper, inset), didn’t register, and boasted afterwards that they had helped swing key Ontario ridings to allow for the minority victory of Conservative party leader and current Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The first mainstream media coverage of this story appeared today in this very thorough Edmonton Journal story.

By Richard Littlemore

uk/Who Funds Nigel Farage? Mapping His Millions

BySam Bright

onApr 18, 2026 @ 09:58 PDT

Live tracker of the Reform leader’s personal income.

Series: Defending Democracy from Dirty Money

Series: Defending-UK-Democracy

uk/Nigel Farage Has Personally Accepted £675,000 from Foreign Sources

BySam Bright

onApr 18, 2026 @ 09:40 PDT

A-third of the Reform leader’s income has come from overseas interests since he became an MP.

Series: Defending Democracy from Dirty Money

Series: Defending-UK-Democracy

‘Get Rid of MAHA’: Trump Alliance Cracks as Climate Denialists Turn on RFK Jr.’s Movement

ByRachel Santarsiero

onApr 17, 2026 @ 06:54 PDT

At the Heartland Institute’s annual climate conference, fossil fuel allies warn MAHA’s push on regulating chemicals and plastics could threaten the oil industry — exposing a growing rift inside Trump’s base.