Greenpeace says Syncrude is trying to 'cripple' it with lawsuit

Oilsands company seeks $120,000 in damages plus legal costs after July protest

Last Updated: Friday, August 29, 2008 | 11:13 PM ET

CBC News

A lawsuit brought by Syncrude Canada is an attempt to burden Greenpeace Canada financially and silence other critics of the oilsands, the environmental group says.

The lawsuit comes more than a month after Greenpeace staged a protest at Syncrude's oilsands plant near Fort McMurray in northern Alberta. Activists unfurled two banners at the same tailing pond where 500 ducks died last April.

In a news release from Edmonton, Greenpeace spokesman Mike Hudema said the lawsuit — which seeks an injunction against the group and $120,000 in damages, plus legal costs — "is designed to financially cripple a non-profit organization and intimidate critics of the tar sands.

"Syncrude does not want a lantern hung on the world's dirtiest oil project."

Eleven Greenpeace members have already been fined for trespassing at the company's Aurora mine site. The activists were planning to block a pipe into the tailing pond before they were intercepted by Syncrude security and held until RCMP arrived.

Hudema said Syncrude has acknowledged the protest did not affect production, but it is proceeding with the court action anyway and demanding legal costs.

He said it is "ironic" that Greenpeace is facing court action when Syncrude is responsible for environmental damage in the oilsands.

Alain Moore, a spokesman for Syncrude Canada, said in Fort McMurray the protesters who trespassed put themselves and company employees at risk.

"Our main focus and our main goal is safety, and so we're seeking this injunction to help ensure that something like this doesn't happen again. We don't want anyone to get hurt when they come on to our site," he said.

Moore admitted the oilsands are a controversial topic for many Canadians but said the recent actions of Greenpeace are not the best way to further the debate.

He said the company is seeking damages in part because of costs involved in escorting the protesters off the site and inspecting the site after they had been removed.