Tar Sands 101
The Tar Sands "Gigaproject" is the largest industrial project in human history and likely also the most destructive. The tar sands mining procedure releases at least three times the CO2 emissions as regular oil production and is slated to become the single largest industrial contributor in North America to Climate Change.
The tar sands are already slated to be the cause of up to the second fastest rate of deforestation on the planet behind the Amazon Rainforest Basin. Currently approved projects will see 3 million barrels of tar sands mock crude produced daily by 2018; for each barrel of oil up to as high as five barrels of water are used.
Human health in many communities has seriously taken a turn for the worse with many causes alleged to be from tar sands production. Tar sands production has led to many serious social issues throughout Alberta, from housing crises to the vast expansion of temporary foreign worker programs that racialize and exploit so-called non-citizens. Infrastructure from pipelines to refineries to super tanker oil traffic on the seas crosses the continent in all directions to allthree major oceans and the Gulf of Mexico.
The mock oil produced primarily is consumed in the United States and helps to subsidize continued wars of aggression against other oil producing nations such as Iraq, Venezuela and Iran.
To understand the tar sands in more depth, continue to our Tar Sands 101 reading list
TransCanada mum on Keystone XL spur into Bakken
TransCanada mum on Keystone XL spur into Bakken
By BLAKE NICHOLSON 10.31.08
BISMARCK, N.D. -
TransCanada Corp. says it has enough contracts with oil shippers to proceed with a second Keystone pipeline that would move crude oil from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast, though it is mum on the possibility of a spur into western North Dakota.
The Keystone XL pipeline would enter the U.S. in Montana and run through South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma on its 1,980 mile route to Texas. It would not cross any part of North Dakota.
"Oil party hits the skids"
Oil party hits the skids
Claudia Cattaneo and Carrie Tait
Financial Post
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Gavin Young/Canwest News Service
CALGARY -The other day, John Davis, a money manager to Calgary's uber-
rich, was walking along a downtown street and saw a man pull out of
the parking lot of a gleaming office tower in a splashy Mercedes.
In the side windows of the car were "For Sale" signs. The driver would
settle for 40 grand.
"I just thought, 'Now I have seen everything.' If you own a Mercedes,
it would be kind of embarrassing to post a 'For Sale' sign on your
World's Crudest Extraction
World's Crudest Extraction
At the tar sands they’re digging up dirty fuel
November 8, 2008
by Macdonald Stainsby
The Dominion - http://www.dominionpaper.ca
EDMONTON, ALBERTA–When the Albertan government recently put forward $25 million to counter the negative press around tar sands mining, Premier Ed Stelmach strained credulity by stating: "In terms of David and Goliath, I've been in this position before, and now I'm here."
Brazil oilfield may house '100bn barrels'
Brazil oilfield may house '100bn barrels'
By Jonathan Wheatley in São Paulo
Published: November 7 2008
Brazil's newly discovered "pre-salt" oilfields may contain more than
100bn barrels, Haroldo Lima, head of the industry regulatory, said on
Friday.
Mr Lima said just the pre-salt oilfields already under concession may
contain between 50bn and 80bn barrels and that the total area could
surpass 100bn barrels.
If so, the new fields would propel Brazil up the world league table of
oil producing nations. Brazil currently has reserves of about 12.6bn
Bush Officials Moving Fast to Cut Environmental Protections
Umm, don't legacy seekers usually do something in the direction of repenting? A little bit, maybe?
--M
Published on Friday, November 7, 2008 by McClatchy Newspapers
Bush Officials Moving Fast to Cut Environmental Protections
by Renee Schoof
WASHINGTON - Not done making a mess of the world yet.
US President George W. Bush walks away after discussing the
transition with the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect
arack Obama with staff members, on the South Lawn of the White
House, November 6, 2008. In
Enbridge Gateway Pipeline opens office - Roger Harris
Pipeline company opens office - Roger Harris
November 04, 2008 11:00 PM
A COMPANY proposing to transport oil through a multi-billion pipeline between Alberta and Kitimat will be officially opening their offices in Terrace and Kitimat next week.
Enbridge will use the offices in the two communities to inform the public about the project.
The project needs federal regulatory approval. Construction would require skilled workers.
Kelly Lake Cree Nation Denounces Pipeline Bombings
Kelly Lake Cree Nation Denounces Pipeline Bombings
On October 17th, the Kelly Lake Cree Nation released a statement (below)
denouncing the recent attempts to sabotage a nearby gas pipeline in
northeast British Columbia.
On October 11th and 16th there were two separate explosions directed at
the pipeline, which is owned by the Calgary-based EnCana corporation.
Neither explosion caused any serious damage to the pipeline, however the
second one created a small rupture that forced its temporary closure. As
root force explains, “workers had been on high alert since the first
"Arctic Energy Resources Will Be Needed" - NWT Premier Roland
Arctic Energy Resources Will Be Needed
by Floyd Roland
Published November 6 2008
Canadians right now are concerned about the economy. As our largest trading partner faces the prospect of recession, businesses and individuals in Canada are worried about what that will mean for us. The outcome of the U.S. presidential election and its consequences are also on the minds of many Canadians. And the ongoing turmoil in world financial markets has reminded us just how inter-related global affairs have become.
Vancouver approves $100M bailout for Olympic Village developer
Vancouver approves $100M bailout for Olympic Village developer
Last Updated: Thursday, November 6, 2008
CBC News
The Southeast False Creek development site comprises 32 hectares of land, seven of which will be temporarily transformed into the Olympic Village during the Games. The Southeast False Creek development site comprises 32 hectares of land, seven of which will be temporarily transformed into the Olympic Village during the Games. (CBC)
"Terror, mentally ill threaten Games"
Wow, such hyperbole...
--M
Terror, mentally ill threaten Games
By KATHLEEN HARRIS, NATIONAL BUREAU CHIEF
Edmonton Sun Nov 5/2008
Canada is facing the threat of terrorist attacks, disruption from mentally disturbed people and corruption from organized criminals as it plays host to the 2010 Olympic Games.
Documents obtained by Sun Media through Access to Information show officials are also bracing for potential cost overruns, public health disasters and protests during the international sporting event in Vancouver-Whistler.
