Climate Change Denial in Canada: An Evaluation of the Fraser Institute and Friends of Science Positions

Anthropogenic climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our civilization, yet collective action is being hindered by the existence and promotion of a climate denial discourse. This research uses discourse analysis to critically examine the climate-related online web-output of two prominent climate change denial organizations found in Canada: the Friends of Science and the Fraser Institute. Rooted in the climate denial literature, and drawing on the framework of Argumentative Discourse Analysis, this research demonstrates the existence of a 'discourse- coalition' working to counteract the creation of meaningful climate policy in Canada over the last decade. The findings of this analysis support previous conclusions about the nature and purpose of the climate denial industry, thus showing that the general denial discourse is highly resilient over time and space. It is further argued that that climate denial in Canada is part of a wider philosophical struggle linked to the modern conservative movement defending the Dominant Social Paradigm.