Conservative Minister Joe Oliver and his friends

Minister Joe Oliver (Eglinton–Lawrence) held a news conference today expressing the government’s position on the Leader of the Opposition’s travel plans. By position, of course, we mean launching a vitriolic attack that repeatedly misrepresents New Democrat leader Tom Mulcair.

Mulcair is headed to Alberta this week to meet with oil producers and other stakeholders about a vision for long-term, sustainable development that creates wealth and prosperity for generations to come.

And who is Minister Oliver meeting with?

From the Lobbyist Registry, we learn that the Minister has met with oil and gas lobbyists on no less than 40 separate occasions. Half of all his meetings with lobbyists last year were with oil and gas industry representatives.

6 meetings with Encana, 5 meetings with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and two meetings with CNOOC International –the third-largest National Oil Company (NOC) in the People's Republic of China.

And how many times did the Conservative Minister meet with Canadian Environmental groups?

According to lobby records, not even once.