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The Strategic Plan
Back in 2004, Tides Canada was paid $70,000 to develop "a strategic plan to address oil and gas development in British Columbia." Since then, the same foundation has granted $25 million for projects to tackle the Canadian energy sector. That's a lot of money and it raises a fair question: What's the plan? So far, Tides Canada won't say.
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Campaigns That Would Thwart Canadian Oil Exports to Asia
As of 2009, Tides Canada was funding 20 organizations that are involved in various campaigns that would block Canadian oil exports to Asia - all in the name of preventing an oil spill on the strategic, north coast of B.C. In 2009, fully half of Tides Canada's grant-making went towards projects on the B.C. north coast. This would mean that the U.S. would continue to have a virtual monopoly on Canadian oil exports - all in the name of preventing an oil spill on the north coast of B.C. Over the course of 2009 and 2010, the U.S. Tides Foundation, the parent organization of Tides Canada, paid $10 million to 43 organizations involved in a "Tar Sands Campaign" against Canadian oil. See: U.S. Cash vs. Oil Sands.
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The $11.4 Million Dollar Question
According to my analysis of Canadian tax returns, the biggest so-called "Canadian" funder of Tides Canada is the Endswell Foundation. Since 2003, fully 99 percent of Endswell's grants went to Tides Canada, a total of $8.7 Million. In essence, Endswell's grant-making consisted solely of tranferring money to Tides Canada. The senior people are Tides Canada and at Endswell are the same (Joel Solomon, Drummond Pike, and James Morrisey) so when they make grants from one charity to another, it seems to me that, in essence, they are just transferring money from one pocket to another. I don't have a problem with them doing that but I wonder why they needed to spend $11.4 Million in the process. This is what I have referred to as the $11.4 Million Dollar Question.
Figs Endswell Office & Staff Costs
Why did office and staff costs sky-rocket at Endswell? Why did Endswell even need an office when its grant-making was simply a matter of transferring money to Tides Canada? And why did Endswell, a charity, pay $2.3 Million to staff at Renewal Partners, an "investment firm?" During all those years when Endswell didn't make one single grant to any organization except Tides Canada, what were Endswell's staff doing? Why did salaries double or even triple over the span of a few years? How come Joel Solomon, one of the supposed "founders" of Endswell, has been paid $929,527 - not including payments to "JSCO"? What kind of "millionaire philanthropist" pays himself a million bucks out of his charity?
Fig Endswell $11.4 M Q (2000-2010)
Tab Sr. Leadership 4x5
Fig Endswell IIL Ltd. $US1.4 Million
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Interdependent Investments Ltd.
Since 1999, Endswell has paid $1.4 Million to an "investment" company called Interdependent Investments Ltd. Until April 13, 2011, the officers of this company were Joel Solomon and Martha Burton, company records show. Interdependent Investments Ltd. contributed at least $6,000 to Vision Vancouver. Did that money originate from Endswell, in other words, did Vision Vancouver accept campaign donations indirectly, from a charity? Where did the rest of the money go? If there's nothing to hide, why don't Joel Solomon and Martha Burton answer the question? Interestingly enough, the involvement of Martha Burton, the treasurer of Vision Vancouver, was quietly discontinued on April 13, 2011 - one week after a letter was sent to Mayor Gregor Robertson to inquire about Interdependent Investments Ltd.
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Behind-The-Scenes Influence
Some of Tides Canada's activities aren't exactly out in the open. For example, a Greenpeace web-site against Alberta tourism, was funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund Inc., through Tides Canada. The names of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Tides Canada are nowhere to be seen on the web-site that bears the Greenpeace name. See:
A Charity With Plenty of Long Tentacles, Kevin Libin, National Post. Page 2 & Page 3.
Environmental Activists Hide Behind A Screen Of Big Money, Kevin Libin, National Post
For more reasons about why I believe that its fair to inquire about the influence of the U.S. Tides Foundation, in Canada, and Tides Canada, please click here.
For my letters to Tides Canada since 2007, click here.
For Tides Canada Foundation, click here.
For Tides Canada Initiatives Society, click here. (This link was active until 15 October 2010).
For The U.S. Tides Foundation, click here.
For The Endswell Foundation and Renewal Partners, click here.
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Updated November 12, 2011