When the Questions Reveal the Narrative: KICLEI’s Response to the National Observer
By Maggie Hope Braun | May 20, 2025
On May 8, I received a media request from Canada’s National Observer regarding KICLEI’s work. The tone was professional, but the narrative was already embedded in the questions: we were being accused of misrepresenting science, spreading misinformation through AI, borrowing U.S. ideology, and hiding our intent with language.
None of that is true.
But it is telling.
Who is really shaping the story?
The National Observer presents itself as independent journalism — but its editorial history and financial ties tell another story.
The Observer has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Canada Periodical Fund and has partnered directly with Tides Canada / MakeWay — an environmental intermediary deeply tied to U.S.-based foundations like the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Hewlett Foundation, which have long influenced Canadian climate, energy, and land-use policy.
This media outlet routinely amplifies messaging the language, targets, and policy recommendations advanced by global climate governance networks like ICLEI Canada, Environmental Defence, and the Climate Action Network — all of whom support binding international climate frameworks, the Paris Accord, and net-zero mandates embedded in municipal policy via programs like FCM’s Partners for Climate Protection (PCP).
KICLEI challenges that structure — not the science, but the process: the top-down implementation, the financial implications, and the lack of informed local consent. We call for accountability, transparency, and the right of councils to opt out of global programs they never knowingly agreed to join.
And for that, we’re being framed as a threat.
The Questions — and Our Public Response
I chose to provide written answers to the Observer’s questions and to publish them in full before the article appears. Canadians have a right to see the questions and the context — especially when the answers are likely to be selectively quoted or spun.
1. Are you misrepresenting climate science?
No. We cite peer-reviewed work to raise questions about how climate narratives are being used to drive policy. We referenced water vapour, CO₂ forcing, and scientific consensus breakdowns — all documented, all grounded in published research.
We’re not denying science. We’re asking how it’s being used — and by whom — to justify expensive, transformative policies at the local level.
Disagreement over interpretation is not misinformation — it’s democratic scrutiny.
2. Is your AI tool making misinformation harder to detect?
No. KICLEI Support (formerly Canadian Civic Advisor) is a tool to help citizens and councillors engage with policy, understand local plans, and write respectful communications.
All outputs are reviewed by users, and we consistently encourage fact-checking. Political parties use templates. Staffers use talking points. Our tool makes civic engagement accessible, not dangerous.
The real concern seems to be that Canadians now have tools to speak clearly and effectively. That’s not misinformation — that’s democracy in action.
3. Are you importing U.S. ideology?
No. We referenced a Tennessee bill because it shows that municipal resistance to net-zero mandates isn’t isolated. The bill banned participation in ICLEI — a global organization that also operates in Canada through the PCP program.
Our version of civic resistance is proudly Canadian: grounded in our Constitution, respectful of local autonomy, and built on the principle that councils should be free to decide.
We’re not calling for bans. We’re calling for transparency, accountability, and the right to opt out without pressure or penalty.
4. Are you hiding your ideology by changing your language?
No. We choose clear language because the terms used by critics — like “Agenda 21” or “conspiracy” — are designed to shut down discussion.
We call it what it is: a UN directive program embedded in local planning. If that sounds too familiar to raise alarm, that’s the point.
What’s deceptive is when global policies are embedded in local frameworks without being named at all. That’s what obscures — not us.
5. What about the “rats run from the light” comment?
It was a private call, and the metaphor was blunt. It referred to a pattern of resignations that followed public scrutiny. The message was simple: sunlight causes change.
Truth is light. Those uncomfortable with it often flee it. We regret the distraction, not the principle.
6. How many councillors are on your list?
We don’t disclose private data.
But we will say this: interest is growing — across provinces, across party lines, and especially in smaller municipalities tired of being pressured to implement federal and global agendas.
7. Who funds KICLEI?
No government. No corporations. No political parties.
KICLEI is funded by private Canadian citizens through memberships, donations, and volunteer time. We receive no in-kind support from foreign entities. That independence is what allows us to speak clearly and challenge structures without compromise.
The Real Irony
The Observer claims to investigate misinformation — but it never questions the PCP program, the FCM-ICLEI partnership, the use of carbon credits, or the economic consequences of climate directives on municipalities like Lethbridge, where officials discovered the only path to 40% emissions reductions was to buy offsets — not reduce emissions.
Where’s the scrutiny?
It’s pointed at citizens who ask why — and who ask what these policies cost and who they serve.
A Final Word to Canadians
You don’t have to agree with us. You don’t have to oppose the Paris Accord, the PCP program, or ICLEI’s work. But you do have the right to understand it, debate it, and decide — locally — what’s best for your community.
That’s what KICLEI defends.
And no selectively edited article will change that.
🛠 How to Get Involved
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Our council needs to take a closer look at these programs,” — you’re not alone.
Here’s how to take the next step:
🔎 Explore KICLEI’s Website
Visit kiclei.ca to read the Declaration, access campaign tools, and learn how municipalities can reclaim their autonomy.
📥 Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Stay informed through KICLEI Updates and Gather 2030 — our civic journalism series on local governance and policy reform.
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👉 Join Us
💬 Connect With Us
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Reach out at info@kiclei.ca. We’ll support you every step of the way.
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This debate is just beginning — and you have a right to be part of it.
Let’s put the spotlight on these programs and let communities decide for themselves.
Canada's National Observer has a clear agenda. The third tab in the main page menu is 'Climate Solutions'! https://www.nationalobserver.com/sections/climate-solutions-reporting :
'Climate Solutions Reporting Project produces written stories, podcasts, and newsletters about Canada's action and inaction in fighting global heating. . . ' This organization starts with the premise that human sources of CO2 are the cause of 'global heating' (look at the choice of language alone - somewhere between 'global warming' and 'global boiling' ;-) It is their mandate to undermine (or attack) anything (or anyone) contradicting this idea. It was only a matter of time until KICLEI got on their radar of course, and it's a sign that KICLEI and Gather2030 is a force to be reckoned with. They're getting worried. Keep up the good work :-)
Absolutely excellent responses Maggie. And thank you for clearly defining what Lethbridge city council concluded this month - the only way to achieve ICLEI-PCP's reduction targets is to put local tax dollars into carbon markets - one of the biggest tax frauds ever designed to transfer more local wealth to the already wealthy billionaires.