From the Edmonton Journal


City might sue over anti-tarsands calendar

Reuse Centre image obtained without official permission, GM says

By Jennifer Fong, The Edmonton JournalApril 14, 2009Comments (15)

The cover shot of the fundraising Stop the Tarsands calendar has drawn some controversy.
Photograph by: Supplied, Edmonton Journal

The city of Edmonton is considering legal action after officials discovered the Edmonton Reuse Centre, a city facility, is featured in an anti-oilsands calendar created by local environmental activists.

"We're quite disappointed in the misleading approach that was taken," said Lorna Rosen, general manager of city of Edmonton asset management and public works. "We're reviewing our procedures and we're also examining the legal options." The calendar in question was created as a fundraising initiative for Stop the Tar Sands, a campaign supported by a number of local environmental groups, including Greenpeace. The campaign's goal, according to the Greenpeace website, is to lobby the Alberta government to halt new oilsands development.

The calendar cover features a model, wearing only black underwear, smeared head to toe with what appears to be oil. She's holding what's supposed to look like a duck. In the background is the Stop the Tar Sands logo.

Inside, more scantily clad models pose at or for local businesses and organizations, including University of Alberta radio station CJSR, Amber's Brewing Co., and the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Association. Blurbs describe each featured establishment and its environmental connections.

The month of May features a photo of a woman, dressed only in a swath of white cloth, posing among the Reuse Centre's blue bins.

Fraser Porter, a Stop the Tar Sands campaign volunteer who spearheaded the calendar project with fellow volunteer Amy Goudie, said the calendar was meant to spark discussions about sustainable businesses and the development of a green economy, and to motivate Edmontonians to support local environmental initiatives.

She said staff at the Reuse Centre were "great to talk to and to deal with." Told city officials were concerned about the anti-oilsands link, she said, "I feel bad for the people at the Reuse Centre now." Rosen said volunteer staff at the Reuse Centre were approached to participate in what was described as a locally produced "eco-calendar" last year, and were told they would be able to approve all photos taken before publication. A release was to also be signed, she said, but "none of that happened." The photo shoot took place at the centre after hours. "It wasn't mentioned at all that ... it would be a calendar with the theme of stopping the oilsands," Rosen said.

"This calendar isn't an environmental calendar. It's a calendar with an agenda," Rosen said. "The city of Edmonton has a long, proud history, particularly in waste management services, of being extremely environmental and being environmentally conscious. Our actions speak very, very loudly, and for a group that has political motivation to use our stellar reputation against it, that doesn't sit well with me." Porter declined to comment on whether centre staff had requested to sign a release or whether they sought approval of the photos taken.

So far, Porter said, those who have seen the calendar are less bothered by the product than about the impact of the oilsands on the environment.

"The calendar cover is not pretty," Porter said.

"People were fine after they got past the cover. They thought it was hip, sexy, fun." About 300 copies of the calendar were made, with around 100 still available for $20 apiece at Earth's General Store, clothing store Lucid Lifestyles, Amber's Brewery, and the Greenpeace warehouse.

The project has almost broken even, Porter said, but so far has generated no profit that could benefit the Stop the Tar Sands campaign.

City councillors Tony Caterina and Don Iveson were surprised to hear about the calendar when they were contacted by The Journal.

"I don't know if the city of Edmonton would be prepared to take a position in implied support to Greenpeace and their actions at this point," Caterina said.

jfong@thejournal.canwest.com
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