Franke James asks "What’s Harper afraid of?"
Canadian artist Franke James calls Stephen Harper and Joe Oliver out in this hard-hitting visual essay
Story also available as an animated video.
![Hey Mr Prime Minister What are You Afraid of, writing and illustration by Franke James, Great Bear Rainforest Fog photo by Ian McAllister, Pacific Wild Hey Mr Prime Minister What are You Afraid of](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/1_HarperAfraid.png)
![Are you afraid of rivers that turn black and run into the sea Are you afraid of rivers that turn black and run into the sea, writing and illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/2_RiversTurnBlack.png)
![Are you afraid of birds falling from a heavy sky Are you afraid of birds falling from a heavy sky, writing and illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/3_BirdsFall.png)
![Are you afraid of people fleeing from a toxic land Are you afraid of people fleeing from a toxic land, writing and illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/4_PeopleFlee.png)
![Or are you most afraid of Alberta tar sands oil being labeled dirty Or are you most afraid of Alberta tar sands oil being labeled dirty, writing and illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/5_DirtyTarSands.png)
![I can tell you what I am afraid of I can tell you what I am afraid of, writing and type-illustration by Franke James, photo by Ian McAllister, Pacific Wild](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/6_WhatIamAfraidof.png)
![I am afraid of your plans to build the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline through the Rocky Mountains I am afraid of your plans to build the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline through the Rocky Mountains, writing and type-illustration by Franke James, photo by Ian McAllister, Pacific Wild](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/7_RockyMountains.png)
![And the Great Bear Rainforest And the Great Bear Rainforest, writing and type-illustration by Franke James, photo by Ian McAllister, Pacific Wild](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/8_GreatBear.png)
![Does that make me a radical? No way Does that make me a radical? No way, writing and type-illustration by Franke James, photo by Ian McAllister, Pacific Wild](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/9_RadicalRainforest.png)
![But Joe Oliver says anyone who questions the pipeline is a radical. That is radical But Joe Oliver says anyone who questions the pipeline is a radical. That is radical, writing and type-illustration by Franke James, Scan of Joe Oliver flyer](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/10_RadicalJoeOliver.png)
![Fear not! I did not take that name-calling to heart. I sent Joe a Valentine asking for a meeting. On March 3rd my husband and I met with Joe Fear not! I did not take that name-calling to heart. I sent Joe a Valentine asking for a meeting. On March 3rd my husband and I met with Joe, Valentine illustration by Franke James, Photo of Joe Oliver by Franke James, photo of Franke by Billiam James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/11_ValentineJoeOliver.png)
![I asked Joe a Fundamental question, what bothers your green conscience I asked Joe a Fundamental question, what bothers your green conscience, Photo-illustration of Joe Oliver by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/12_WhatBothersJoeOliver.png)
![Joe said 'I don't think in those terms. My impact as the Minister of Natural Resources is much bigger than as an individual Joe said 'I don't think in those terms. My impact as the Minister of Natural Resources is much bigger than as an individual, Photo-illustration of Joe Oliver by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/13_BiggerasMinister.png)
![Which is Exactly what I am afraid of Which is Exactly what I am afraid of, Writing and illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/14_ExactlymyFear.png)
![With all the changes you're making, list of changes With all the changes you're making, list of changes, Writing and illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/15_EnviroListChanges1.png)
![We could be hit with some major environmental catastrophes We could be hit with some major environmental catastrophes, Writing and Black Swan Canada Flag illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/16_MajorBlackSwan.png)
![It is like you have declared war on Mother Nature It is like you have declared war on Mother Nature, Writing and Harper Oil Barrel War on Nature illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/17_HarperWarNature1.png)
![It is like you have declared war on Mother Nature It is like you have declared war on Mother Nature, Writing and Harper Oil Barrel War on Nature illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/17_HarperWarNature2.png)
![Joe told me, 'I am someone who likes to gather the facts Joe told me, 'I am someone who likes to gather the facts, Joe Oliver Facts illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/18JoeGathersFacts.png)
![Joe told me, 'I am influenced by what objective scientists have to say, and you know government policy has to be grounded in a factual basis Joe told me, 'I am influenced by what objective scientists have to say, and you know government policy has to be grounded in a factual basis'; Quote from March 3, 2012 meeting, Joe Oliver Facts illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/19_FactBasedPolicy.png)
![Which all sounds great but then why is the Harper Government muzzling scientists Which all sounds great but then why is the Harper Government muzzling scientists, Muzzled scientists illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/20_MuzzlingScientists.png)
Map in detail
Link to secret report
![Make Harper really afraid Make Harper really afraid, illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/60_MakeHarperAfraidarrow.png)
![Call your Member of Parliment! Call your Member of Parliment! illustration by Franke James](http://www.frankejames.com/images580/61_CallYourMP.png)
Visual Essay Credits
“Hey Mister Prime Minister, What are You Afraid Of?” 2012 Franke James
Writing and illustration by Franke James (see additional photo credits below).
Transcript: Features quotes from Franke James’ March 3, 2012 interview with Joe Oliver, Federal Minister of Natural Resources.
Franke James is an award-winning artist whose illustrated essays on environmental and social issues have been reviewed and showcased around the world. In November 2011, James’ art show “Banned on the Hill” appeared in Ottawa, around the corner from Parliament Hill. The crowd-funded billboard show protested the silencing of environmental voices by the Harper Government. James is the author of the illustrated book, Bothered by My Green Conscience, and a member of the Writers Union of Canada, PEN Canada and CARFAC. She has a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Victoria and lives in Toronto. For more information see:http://www.frankejames.com. Franke on Twitter: http://twitter.com/frankejames
Thank you to the following organizations for photos and resources:
Pacific Wild
All Great Bear Rainforest photos Ian McAllister,Pacific Wild
How did they vote?
Member of Parliament “look up” API technology:How did they vote?
Living Oceans Society
Living Oceans photo: T-Shirt with “I have this Sinking Feeling about Enbridge”
Living Oceans photo of First Nations “We say no to Enbridge” protest
Living Oceans Map of Proposed Tanker Route to Kitimat
Pembina Institute
Tar Sands Mining Photo: David Dodge, Pembina Institute
Photo: Suncor upgrader complex adjacent to Athabasca River 2002 Chris Evans, Pembina
Additional photos used with permission
Dr David Schindler photo: Ed Kaiser, Edmonton Journal
Syncrude 2007 -12 photo 2007 David Dodge, CPAWS
Empire State Building photo Daniel Schwen, 2008, Wikimedia
Oil Sheen From Valdez Spill photo Wikimedia NOAA
Dead Oil Covered Birds Photo Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council; Wikimedia.