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| Canada’s Green Party Doctors a Photo. Opponents Cry Hypocrisy | Canada’s Green Party Doctors a Photo. Opponents Cry Hypocrisy |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Canada’s Green Party, which prides itself on its environmentalism, has admitted to photoshopping an image of its leader, Elizabeth May, to show her holding a reusable plastic cup — attracting accusations of hypocrisy from its political opponents. | Canada’s Green Party, which prides itself on its environmentalism, has admitted to photoshopping an image of its leader, Elizabeth May, to show her holding a reusable plastic cup — attracting accusations of hypocrisy from its political opponents. |
| In the original photograph, Ms. May, an activist and lawyer who has led the party since 2006, is shown holding what she said was a compostable disposable cup while at the Sidney Street Market in British Columbia last year. | In the original photograph, Ms. May, an activist and lawyer who has led the party since 2006, is shown holding what she said was a compostable disposable cup while at the Sidney Street Market in British Columbia last year. |
| But in the edited photo she is shown holding a plastic reusable cup with the Green Party logo and metal straw. | But in the edited photo she is shown holding a plastic reusable cup with the Green Party logo and metal straw. |
| Ms. May said she was “completely shocked” when she heard about the photoshopping, and had known nothing about it. Green Party officials said the editing wasn’t done to conceal anything because the original cup was also environmentally friendly. Ms. May explained that a well-intentioned party staffer did it because the staffer wanted to brand the image with the party’s logo. | Ms. May said she was “completely shocked” when she heard about the photoshopping, and had known nothing about it. Green Party officials said the editing wasn’t done to conceal anything because the original cup was also environmentally friendly. Ms. May explained that a well-intentioned party staffer did it because the staffer wanted to brand the image with the party’s logo. |
| “My personal daily practice is to avoid single use plastic items 100 percent of the time,” Ms. May said in a statement. “I never drink from plastic water bottles. I always carry my own reusable coffee cup. I carry my own bamboo utensils. I walk the talk every day.” | “My personal daily practice is to avoid single use plastic items 100 percent of the time,” Ms. May said in a statement. “I never drink from plastic water bottles. I always carry my own reusable coffee cup. I carry my own bamboo utensils. I walk the talk every day.” |
| It may not seem like a major scandal, but in Canada, where environmental issues are critical to voters in the run-up to Canadian national elections on Oct. 21, it’s become a bit of a gotcha moment for the Green Party. | It may not seem like a major scandal, but in Canada, where environmental issues are critical to voters in the run-up to Canadian national elections on Oct. 21, it’s become a bit of a gotcha moment for the Green Party. |
| The Greens are committed to reducing plastic waste and to banning single-use plastics, and generally support action to combat climate change. They have two seats in Parliament now and are hoping to increase that number by appealing to voters concerned about global warming. | The Greens are committed to reducing plastic waste and to banning single-use plastics, and generally support action to combat climate change. They have two seats in Parliament now and are hoping to increase that number by appealing to voters concerned about global warming. |
| Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party have also made climate change an important issue in the campaign, hoping to attract the young voters who helped Mr. Trudeau win election in 2015. | |
| Maxime Bernier, leader of a right-wing political party, who has railed against the fight against climate change, said the cup incident undermined Ms. May’s credibility, including what he says is her alarmism over global warming. | Maxime Bernier, leader of a right-wing political party, who has railed against the fight against climate change, said the cup incident undermined Ms. May’s credibility, including what he says is her alarmism over global warming. |
| “More evidence of fakery and hypocrisy,” he wrote on Twitter. “ But we’re supposed to believe her when she says the sky is falling and we need to destroy our economy to prevent it.” | “More evidence of fakery and hypocrisy,” he wrote on Twitter. “ But we’re supposed to believe her when she says the sky is falling and we need to destroy our economy to prevent it.” |
| The right-leaning National Post, a national newspaper, noted that “such fakery in the middle of an election raises issues of how such misinformation is used,” citing experts on the “fake news phenomenon.” | The right-leaning National Post, a national newspaper, noted that “such fakery in the middle of an election raises issues of how such misinformation is used,” citing experts on the “fake news phenomenon.” |
| In June Canada joined a growing global movement against plastic waste when Mr. Trudeau announced a plan to ban single-use plastics. | In June Canada joined a growing global movement against plastic waste when Mr. Trudeau announced a plan to ban single-use plastics. |
| The World Economic Forum estimates that 90 percent of the plastic ending up in the oceans comes from 10 major rivers, and that currently there are 50 million tons of plastic in the world’s oceans. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that plastic bags can take centuries to degrade. | The World Economic Forum estimates that 90 percent of the plastic ending up in the oceans comes from 10 major rivers, and that currently there are 50 million tons of plastic in the world’s oceans. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that plastic bags can take centuries to degrade. |
| The debate over the photoshopped image comes a week after Mr. Trudeau’s campaign was roiled by pictures of him dressed in brownface or blackface at various times in his past. | The debate over the photoshopped image comes a week after Mr. Trudeau’s campaign was roiled by pictures of him dressed in brownface or blackface at various times in his past. |
| Some said the outcry over the Greens’ photo was exaggerated. “If this is the worst ‘ scandal’ the green party can muster sign me up,” Rob Mikulec, of Toronto Ontario, wrote on Twitter. | Some said the outcry over the Greens’ photo was exaggerated. “If this is the worst ‘ scandal’ the green party can muster sign me up,” Rob Mikulec, of Toronto Ontario, wrote on Twitter. |
| Rosie Emery, a spokeswoman for the Greens, said the original photo was now being used on the party’s web home page with the cup cropped out. | Rosie Emery, a spokeswoman for the Greens, said the original photo was now being used on the party’s web home page with the cup cropped out. |
| “It is not being used to promote anything,” she said. “It is just a lovely photo of her. The amount of focus on this particular thing is quite amazing.” | “It is not being used to promote anything,” she said. “It is just a lovely photo of her. The amount of focus on this particular thing is quite amazing.” |