Chiquita softens stance to Canadian oil boycott

International banana giant Chiquita appears to be softening its stance on using fuel from Canadian oilsands, saying that “misinformation” has been circulated by certain groups. In a letter sent to the Alberta Enterprise Group dated Dec. 21, Chiquita Brands International senior vice-president Manuel Rodriguez said his company “is not boycotting or banning” Canadian oil. “Today Chiquita sources, and will continue to source, Canadian oil,” the letter states. The letter also says that over the last week there’s “been a significant amount of misinformation circulated by certain groups regarding our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, specifically related to use of fuel. While we have commitments to reduce our carbon footprint across a range of activities, press reports have inaccurately stated that we have boycotted or banned Canadian oil. We are concerned about this too, and want to take this opportunity to set the record straight.”

But in November, the same Chiquita vice-president wrote a letter to the U.S.-based environmental group ForestEthics, saying the company will avoid “where possible, fuels from tar sands refineries and to adopt a strategy of continuous improvement towards the elimination of those fuels.” The Edmonton-based Alberta Enterprise Group, a business lobby organization, called this month for Canadians to counter-boycott Chiquita. Group spokesman David MacLean said the newest letter, along with messages to other Canadian trade organizations, has satisfied his group that Chiquita has dropped its “anti-oil-sand” stance. “It’s pretty mealy-mouthed. But for us, as a business advocacy organization, it’s good enough, it satisfies our requirement that they do not unfairly target the Canadian oil sands,” MacLean said. Environmental groups have long expressed concerns about the rising greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, along with the heavy impacts on water, land and wildlife.

Source: nationalpost.com