On November 27, 2008, some B.C. Citizens for Green Energy members received phone calls from a Christopher Pollon, who identified himself as a freelance journalist. He failed to disclose that he actually writes for the Tyee. It turns out he’s a “contributing editor to The Tyee with a focus on environmental issues.” The Tyee is a Web site funded by big labour.
Pollon’s reticence about his employer, motivation and bias are understandable. The Tyee quite possibly receives money from COPE 378, the BC Hydro union that seems to be at the centre of the campaign against independently produced clean energy. The Tyee is definitely funded by political allies of COPE 378.
It’s ironic, to say the least, that we’re falsely accused of hiding something by a writer who misrepresented himself.
Also ironic, to say the least, is Pollon’s accusation that we try to “marginalize” our opponents. There are several indications in his story and his interviews that his purpose from the beginning was to try to discredit us.
In particular, the claim that we are “anonymous” is so obviously false that it shows the desperation of Pollon and the groups that pay him.
It would be impossible to “marginalize” our opponents’ extremely well-funded campaign. Pollon’s phone calls, by the way, came within hours of BCCGE issuing a press release that called on our opponents to divulge the amount and sources of their funding.
Pollon’s story appeared in the Tyee on December 17, 2008.