TC Energy may have launched “geo-fenced” ad campaign to counter visit of Wet’suwet’en and Otomi land defenders to Toronto and Ottawa

Published by Brent Patterson on July 3, 2024July 3, 2024

Image from The Narwhal of British Columbia attorney general Niki Sharma, former TC Energy director Liam Iliffe, and premier David Eby.

At an internal company presentation on February 22, 2024, TC Energy’s B.C. director of operations Liam Iliffe appeared to discuss “case studies” of the tactics the company uses to influence public opinion.

That meeting, according to the National Post, included representatives from TC Energy’s Canada, U.S. and Mexican offices. The company’s head of geopolitical intelligence and research, Michael Evanoff, was also there.

The newspaper reports that Iliffe discussed “protests against the company’s pipeline projects in Toronto and Ottawa in the fall of 2023.”

This could refer to the Otomi and Wet’suwet’en land defenders who marched in Toronto against TC Energy pipelines on their territories (October 14), met with Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) and spoke at a public forum in Ottawa (October 16), and met with Global Affairs Canada and Member of Parliament Mike Morrice (October 17).

More on this visit at Wet’suwet’en and Otomi land defenders unite against the TC Energy Coastal GasLink and Tuxpan-Tula pipelines (PBI-Canada, October 18, 2023).

Photo: Public forum at the University of Ottawa, October 16, 2023.

The National Post article then notes: “’The reason that (protesters) chose that area is because that’s where our financiers are,’ [Iliffe] said. He said the company launched a ‘geo-fenced’ ad campaign around the protest areas in Toronto and Ottawa to ensure it got its message out to both its financiers and media covering the events. ‘Remarkably effective,’ Iliffe said. ‘It really actually did drive some more positive news stories, or at least added balance and in a lot of times, balance is a win.’”

The Narwhal explains: “Geofencing is a marketing tactic that consists of targeting ads on devices located within specific geographic boundaries.”

Iliffe, who journalist Amanda Follett Hosgood has highlighted “was chief of staff for BC premier John Horgan as TC Energy was building Coastal GasLink pipeline through Wet’suwet’en territory”, resigned from TC Energy on June 17 after video of his comments was obtained by a reporter.

The Guardian also reports: “Iliffe has said he left his government position in May 2022. TC Energy filings with the provincial registrar of lobbying, viewed by the Narwhal, show Iliffe listed as a lobbyist as early as April 2023. The filings did not identify Iliffe as a former public office holder [as required].”

An investigation has now been reportedly launched by British Columbia’s attorney general to determine if Iliffe improperly used his political connections.

You can read more in The Narwhal at Leaked TC Energy recording prompts B.C. to probe claims of outsized lobbying influence on government (June 26), Inside a former TC Energy exec’s claim he got pro-pipeline messaging ‘stuck on government letterhead’ (June 27) and Behind The Narwhal’s reporting on a leaked TC Energy recording (June 27).

Photo: March in Toronto, October 14, 2023.