Oil lobby group registers as third-party election advertiser

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has registered for the first time as a third-party advertiser for a federal election.

Third party groups are required to register if they plan to spend $500 or more onpartisan or election-related advertising linked to a particular candidate or party leading up to a vote.

Warren Mabee with theInstitute for Energy and Environmental Policy at Queen's University says Elections Canada is requiring more groups to register if their advertising could tackle a partisan issue.

"These days it seems like there's a lot of topics which are hot button partisan topics and it looks like the energy industry is starting to fall into that category," Mabee said.

These issues that used to be broad, for the greater good issues are now being considered the domain of one party or another.- Warren Mabee, Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy

"It's a hot button issue and it's a divisive issue. And you know I think that it's one of these issues that is becoming a wedge that whether we're talking about Liberal or Conservatives or even NDP people are using this as a wedge topic."

There's little doubt the oilpatchis eyeing the election conversation.

CEOs of three major oil and gas companies recently took out full-page newspaper adsto urge readers to call on "leaders of all political stripes" to lend their support to the energy industry.

Climate change could be deemed partisan, too

But energy isn't the only topic that Elections Canada may deem as partisan.

Elections Canadawarned environmental groups that running ads about the dangers of climate change during the upcoming federal campaign couldbe deemed partisan activity.

Elections Canadasaid the warning applies onlyto"activities or ads that specifically identify a candidate or party" and cost $500 or more.

"The only place the act covers the promotion of an issuewithout mentioning a candidate or partyis where someone spends money on 'issue ad'during the election period, but the issue must be associated with a candidate or party," Elections Canada said in a statement.

"I think the disturbing thing for voters is that things we used to think of as, you know, equal interest to all parties whether it be energy developments or protecting the environment are now being classified as potentially partisan issues," Mabee said.

"These issues that used to be broad, for the greater good issues are now being considered the domain of one party or another."