On identity theft

The Globe and Mail reports on one environmental group which has even more reason than most to be frustrated with the Cons, as Ecotrust Canada's name has been usurped for the Cons' benefit:

(T)o put it mildly, the nearly 13-year-old organization is not amused that the Tories seem to have lifted the Ecotrust Canada brand name for the government's own $1.5-billion environment package. So, when Mr. Harper comes calling here today to shower the province with an expected $200-million in EcoTrust cash, Mr. Gill will be waiting for him.

"The government has not been taking this seriously, and I think they should. We want our name back," Mr. Gill said.

He said the matter goes to the heart of what some critics have charged is a rushed, back-of-the-envelope approach to combatting climate change by Mr. Harper's Conservative government.

"They didn't even take the time to do due diligence on the name," charged Mr. Gill, who founded Ecotrust Canada in 1994. "That's how quickly this whole thing has been cooked up."

But having made such a glaring mistake initially, the Cons have stayed in character by going out of their way to avoid fixing matters:

The organization quickly wrote to Mr. Harper, pointing out the confusion and what appeared to be a violation of its exclusive right to the Ecotrust name.

"The government's assumption of the name 'Canada EcoTrust' is a serious threat to our brand," the letter said.

"Ours is a consciously non-partisan organization and to have our name adopted by any government, no matter how well-intended your program, diminishes our brand."

The organization, saying it did not wish to pick a fight with the government, asked Mr. Harper for a meeting to try to resolve the issue.

Apart from a few phone calls from "low-level functionaries," however, there has been no response, Mr. Gill said...

Mike Van Soelen, communications director for federal Environment Minister John Baird, said the government is "taking a look" at the complaint from Ecotrust Canada.

"We are certainly taking their concern serious," he said.

In fairness, this particular incident appears to have been the result of shoddy preparation rather than deliberate co-opting of Ecotrust Canada's name. But with the Cons still apparently refusing to do anything besides "take a look" at the problems with effectively taking over a non-profit's brand, it doesn't seem likely that the legitimate concerns of Ecotrust Canada will be dealt with anytime soon - particular with the Cons evidently more interested in campaigning than in governing effectively.

Of course, it's far from sure that an immediate election is indeed forthcoming. And if not, then one has to wonder whether the Cons will see an opportunity to combine traditional astroturfing with the power of the state to undercut the brand of other prominent groups. Might they call their rigged democratic reform process "Democracy Watch" to confuse Canadians about Duff Conacher's recent criticisms of the Cons, or "Fair Vote Canada" to undermine the PR movement? Could a shell "Red Cross" be set up to try to retroactively keep Gordon O'Connor's assurances about reporting on detainee treatment in Afghanistan?

The possibilities are endless for a government which sees existing groups as nothing more than opportunities for co-opting. And based on their treatment of Ecotrust Canada, there's every reason to think that this is just one more area where the Cons' lust for power is being (and will be) given precedence over any other consideration.