ForestEthics Confirms Whistleblower Andrew Frank's Account of Harper Government's Attempts to Silence Citizen Critics

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Jan. 26, 2012) - ForestEthics has sent a statement to supporters confirming the veracity of Andrew Frank's claims that the Government of Canada targeted the environmental group.

In an email sent to supporters yesterday afternoon (January 25), ForestEthics co-founder, Valerie Langer confirms the veracity of Andrew Frank's claims:

"While a spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office denied using this language [An Enemy of the Government of Canada], he refused to comment when asked whether ForestEthics was targeted by the government. ForestEthics was targeted by the government. There's a good reason they wouldn't comment: it's true."

The complete text of Langer's statement to supporters is available here: http://andrewfrank.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ForestEthics-Statement.pdf

"I appreciate ForestEthics' awkward attempts to bring the truth to light," says Andrew Frank. "I understand that they are under enormous pressure from Tides Canada, which itself is terrified of government reprisals against its funding."

Frank continues, "Today we are one step closer to having the full truth and nothing but the truth, with respect to the language the Harper government has used to describe Canadian critics of the Enbridge Northern Gateway oil tanker and pipeline project. We're getting close to the truth, but more work is needed."

Frank has issued two questions to citizens, reporters and opposition MPs to ask the Prime Minister's Office directly:

Question #1: Have you, or any member of the Prime Minister's office, or any member of your government, used language to describe any critic whatsoever of the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline or Canadian oil sands development in general, using the words "Enemy," or "Enemies" of the Government of Canada or "Enemy," or "Enemies" of the people of Canada?

Question #2: Has your government made any efforts whatsoever, to restrict the ability of any civil society group, whatsoever, and in any fashion, whatsoever, that is registered as an intervenor in the National Energy Board's Joint Review Panel for the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, to participate to its fullest ability, and to secure its funding as a charitable entity, as it has done in Canada for close to a decade?

Andrew Frank's original open letter (http://www.scribd.com/doc/79228736/Whistleblower-s-Open-Letter-to-Canadians) to Canadians has been read more than 55,000 times since Tuesday morning (January 24), sparking an online movement to reveal the truth and hold the government to account for its contempt of the most basic rights of Canadian citizens, including freedom of speech and freedom of expression.