Bigfoot Family on Netflix 'villainizes' oil and gas industry: UCP's war room

Alta. war room sets sights on Netflix kids’ film The war room takes issue with how the oil and gas sector is portrayed in the animated film called Bigfoot Family.

EDMONTON — The provincial government-led Canadian Energy Centre is going to war against Netflix by launching an online petition against a film about Bigfoot and environmental protection.

Entitled “Tell the truth Netflix,” the petition asks the online streaming platform portray the oil and gas sector in a more accurate light and is addressed to Lindsey Scully, Netflix Canada’s Head of Communications.

The war room, officially known as the Canadian Energy Centre, was launched in 2019 by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to raise understanding of the value and importance of the oil and gas sector.

Bigfoot Family was added to Netflix in January of this year. The film follows Bigfoot who wants to use his fame to help champion environmental stewardship. It depicts a fictional oil and gas company called XTrakt who claim to be a clean energy producer. As the movie progresses Bigfoot goes missing after launching protests against XTrakt plans to expand their oil extraction efforts by dropping a bomb on a valley in Alaska.

As of publication, nearly 1,300 people have signed the online petition.

When the film debuted on Netflix it was listed as the number one film in several countries, including Canada and the United States, the CEC said.

On the supportcanadianenergy.ca – a website identifying itself as a “Canadian Energy Centre project” --  the film is described as “unacceptable” and “plain wrong.”

“Bigfoot Family, which is rated for children seven and older, wrongly portrays oil and gas extraction to an audience of young Canadians and ignores the industry's commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible development.”

PETITION ASKS NETFLIX TO STOP SPREADING MISINFORMATION ABOUT OIL AND GAS

The petition asks Netflix to use their “powerful platform” to tell the “true story of Canada’s peerless oil and gas industry.”

Additionally, it asks the streaming giant to not contribute towards “brainwashing” kids.

“Brainwashing our kids with anti-oil and gas propaganda is just wrong.

“Our children are the key to the future – but they can’t succeed if they’re filled with misinformation.”

CTV News Edmonton reached out to Netflix Canada for comment but it has not responded.

FILM 'VILLAINIZES' ENERGY WORKERS AND 'DISPARAGES' OIL INDUSTRY

In a Facebook post on Friday, the Canadian Energy Centre said the petition was created in response to a “concerned parent.”

The post went on to say that the film “villainizes energy workers” and “disparages” the oil and gas industry’s commitment to the environment.

“Pushing back against misinformation about the oil and gas industry is a major part of what the Canadian Energy Centre was set up to do.”