This October 1970 document from Imperial Oil Ltd, the Canadian subsidiary of Exxon, is an analysis of “Today’s climate of Canadian concern about pollution and its actionable significance in response to Standard’s ‘F-310’ and to ‘lead free gas,’” conducted by the research group Albert Shepard Associates. This document is part of the ClimateFiles Imperial Oil document set, gleaned by DeSmog researchers from the Glenbow Imperial Oil Archive Collection.

Among the key findings of this report are its observations on Canadian attitudes about who bears responsibility for addressing environmental issues. The report notes, for example, a “dangerously growing feeling of dependence upon government intervention to cope with this problem,” and that “7 out of 10 respondents spontaneously identified ‘carbon’ as the key ‘villain’.” 

The existence of this report, as well as the rhetoric expressed in it, indicate early concern within Exxon and its affiliates about public perception of the industry’s responsibility in environmental management.