Oil, gas firms step up lobbying effort aimed at Tory government

[CHIMO]

OTTAWA — The Canadian corporate giants dominating Alberta oil sands extraction and refining lobbied the federal government intensively this summer, federal records show.

The campaign began shortly after Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion unveiled his plan for $15-billion worth of new taxes on carbon emissions and continued through July.

Oil and gas lobbyists held several meetings with Industry Minister Jim Prentice and Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn, one meeting with Environment Minister John Baird, and a string of meetings with top government officials including aides to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Pierre Alvarez, president of the oil and gas producers association, said the meeting his organization reported with Prentice and Lunn was a general overview of the industry, including supply forecasts, that took place in the company of the U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins.

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