Time to ban ads for pickups and gas? Why an Alberta doctor is part of that charge
Citing a federal law banning cigarette ads, a group of Canadian doctors is calling on Ottawa to outlaw commercials for fossil fuel products like pickup trucks and gasoline.
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), a group supported by more than 700,000 health professionals, announced the initiative on Wednesday in honour of Clean Air Day.
"We shouldn’t have any advertising that is either glossing over the climate impacts these companies are doing or minimizing the air pollution impacts," said Board President Dr. Joe Vipond.
The Calgary-based medical doctor, perhaps best known as an outspoken critic of Alberta's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, also wants regulations to address misinformation and mandated warnings of environmental risks.
"We are seeing problems with air pollution not only from fossil fuel combustion but also getting it from these massive fire events which seem to be getting worse and worse," he explained.
Vipond referred to the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire and floods in Calgary in 2013 as examples of extreme weather events made worse by climate change.
He and CAPE want to see legislation similar to the 1989 Tobacco Products Control Act, which prohibits all forms of tobacco advertising in Canada and mandates warning labels on packaging.
Dr. Joe Vipond in an interview with CTV News Edmonton.
"The Supreme Court was very clear against tobacco companies that this is a reasonable restriction of freedom of speech when the public’s health is put at risk," Vipond argues.
But Vipond's call is unlikely to get the support of Alberta's governing UCP.
On Friday, the province's Environment Minister called it an attack on Alberta workers.
"For anyone to suggest that the men and women inside the oil and gas industry should be hidden from the world, uh, it's frankly ridiculous. They should apologize for it," Jason Nixon told CTV News Calgary.
"We would see it as an attack on our constitutional rights, and we would respond vigorously to defend those rights."
CAPE also cited reports claiming that air pollution from fossil fuels is responsible for 8.7 million deaths per year worldwide, and the group referred to a "heat dome" that killed 569 people in British Columbia last year.
Canada's environment minister did not respond to a request for comment from CTV News Edmonton.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979388.1722030190!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before Jasper can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes "for several weeks."
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Missing 3-year-old boy found dead in creek in Mississauga: police
A three-year-old boy has been found dead a day after he went missing in a park in Mississauga, Peel police say.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Turpel-Lafond won't sue CBC over Cree heritage report that took 'heavy toll': lawyer
The lawyer for a former judge whose claims to be Cree were questioned in a CBC investigation says his client is not considering legal action against the broadcaster after the Law Society of British Columbia this week backed her claims of Indigenous heritage.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six figure water bill.
Health Canada warns some naloxone kits contain false instructions
Health Canada is warning some take-home naloxone kits come with bad instructions that should be ignored in favour of the correct guidance.
Paris dazzles with a rainy Olympics opening ceremony on the Seine River
Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy along the Seine River.