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Since the spring of 2007, I have written a series of letters to David Suzuki in order to express my concerns, my opinions and my questions about what appears to me to be a systematic stream of inaccurate and selective information from the David Suzuki Foundation about farmed salmon, and salmon farming.
Considering the hefty influence that David Suzuki has on public opinion and public policy, I believe that David Suzuki should take responsibility for the information that he and his foundation provide. If, from time to time, the foundation or any other organization provides inaccurate information, there is no shame in acknowledging this and making amends.
Over the past 10 years, the David Suzuki Foundation has issued a series of press releases about "scientific studies" of PCBs in farmed salmon, and sea lice. These press releases brought about a lot of bad press that has had a big influence on public opinion. In these press releases, the David Suzuki Foundation has described its sea lice research as undeniable, compelling, irrefutable and proof. As far as I can tell, however, almost all if not all of these press releases are no longer on-line. GONE.
It doesn't seem right to me that the David Suzuki Foundation has quietly removed these sea lice press releases, especially now that the Cohen Commission is taking place - at a cost to Canadians of some $26 MILLION. This commission was demanded by environmental organizations, in large part because of fears that sea lice were threatening wild, Fraser sockeye salmon. It doesn't seem right to me that the press releases from the David Suzuki Foundation that formed the basis of so much media coverage and prompted so much public concern, have all but vanished from the public record.
In the spring of 2010, after quite a fuss, I was granted an opportunity to meet with Peter Robinson, the CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation. What I was hoping for is that the David Suzuki Foundation would issue some sort of a clarification with regards to the statements that I believe are flagrantly untrue, and that it would provide more comprehensive, up-to-date, accurate information - including information about its U.S. funding - at least $US 10 million.
The thing that has prompted me to look back at this meeting - over a year later - is that I recently found out that most of the 26 press releases and web-pages that I have been concerned about, seem to have been quietly removed on Feb. 3, 2010. That just happens to be the same day that I posted an open letter to David Suzuki on a blog that I had at the time, called Fish Farm Fuss.
When I met with Peter Robinson on Feb. 22, I did not know that, in fact, weeks earlier, most of the press releases and web-pages about which I was concerned, had apparently been taken off-line. So, for over an hour, on Feb. 22, 2010, Peter Robinson and I discussed a series of web-pages that, in fact, were not even on-line anymore. Either the CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation didn't know, or he didn't let on that he did.
Here's what happened:
- January 18, 2010: I sent David Suzuki an open letter (#11) which presented my calculations that the David Suzuki Foundation (DSF) has had $61 million in revenues (2000 - 2008). I asked about the origin of $27.4 million which, over that same period, that DSF had reported as revenue from "other registered charities and other sources." In particular, I asked how much of that $27.4 million originated from U.S. foundations - either directly, or indirectly, through Tides Canada. No reply received.
February 3, 2010: I sent an open letter (#13) in which I asked David Suzuki about his apparent involvement in marketing Alaskan salmon by demarketing the competition: farmed salmon. I posted that open letter at the blog that I had at the time, called Fish Farm Fuss. In my e-mail, I indicated that I would call later on in the day in order to request an opportunity to speak with Dr. Suzuki or Peter Robinson, the CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation. When I called, I was told by Mr. Robinson's secretary that he would not speak with me - not that day, not the next week, not the next month, not ever. I explained that I felt that my questions were fair and that the refusal of the David Suzuki Foundation to speak with me, was unfair. Following our phone conversation, I put those same sentiments into an e-mail and copied it to several editors in the seafood industry.
- February 4, 2010: A Norwegian seafood editor wrote an article titled, "Cowardice from David Suzuki." He wrote, "This is a lesson in arrogance and incompetence. Seen from inside Canada, we have learned that these people (the David Suzuki Foundation) hold a strong grip on politicians and authorities, and have a great influence on their policies concerning the aquaculture. Seen from outside Canada, its a mystery how people from organisations like David Suzuki Foundation can play such a role in the public. We have not yet seen any evidence of truth in what they tell..."
- February 5, 2010: In the U.K., the Norwegian story of the refusal of the David Suzuki Foundation to meet with me was picked up by Callender McDowell, a seafood industry commentator in the U.K. In error, Callender McDowell attributed the harsh words of the Norwegian editor, to me. I then asked him to correct the record, which he did, here. All along, I kept the David Suzuki Foundation informed, by copying them on my e-mails with Callnder McDowell.
- February 9, 2010: The secretary of Mr. Peter Robinson, the CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation, informed me that he would meet with me.
Feb. 22, 2011, Meeting with Peter Robinson: When I met with Mr. Robinson, I gave him a 46 page document in which I had tried to explain, in some detail, how 26 press releases and articles from the David Suzuki Foundation appeared to me to contain false or misleading information about PCBs in farmed salmon, or sea lice. Mr. Robinson seemed to agree with me that some of the statements in the press releases were, in fact, untrue, but he did not actually say so. He agreed that he would have his staff look over the materials that I had provided, and get back to me. He didn't but several weeks later, I noticed that 20 of the press releases and web-pages about which I had expressed concern, had been removed. For a list of these documents and links showing how they were obviously removed, click here. For web-pages from Internet Archives showing the dates when these web-pages were last registered, click here. Note: e-mail confirming Feb. 22 meeting.
- For the 46 page document that I gave to Mr. Robinson, click here.
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