The Financial Post reports in its Thursday edition TransCanada is cutting its ties with Edelman, the U.S. PR firm that recommended using aggressive tactics to win public support for its proposed Energy East pipeline project. The Post's Claudia Cattaneo says the $12-billion project to transport Alberta oil to Canada's East Coast stands on its own merit without having to manipulate public opinion. The U.S. firm had recommended using third parties to attack the pipeline's opponents, by creating "an echo chamber of aligned voices." Greenpeace said the tactics involved secret public relations and a "grassroots advocacy" strategy by TransCanada to put pressure on politicians and critics of their Energy East pipeline proposal. (This kind of "astroturfing" strategy of phony grassroots advocacy is common in the U.S.) On Thursday, However, says Ms. Cattaneo, before Greenpeace goes too far on that victory lap, how about some honesty? The pipeline debate has been rife with dirty tricks for years, and environmentalists have led the way. Take its July, 2008, Tar Sands Campaign strategy. It used tactics such as the ones recommended by Edelman, which Greenpeace said were borrowed from "the modern political playbook."