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
Review panel hears final recommendations on Mackenzie pipeline
Review panel hears final recommendations on Mackenzie pipeline
BOB WEBER
The Canadian Press
November 6, 2007
In two years of hearings in 26 northern communities, a panel reviewing the potential environmental and social impacts of a $16-billion natural gas pipeline down the Mackenzie Valley took in enough submissions to block a herd of caribou.
PM takes a trip to Fort McMurray (2 articles)
PM hears frank concerns from locals in closed-door meeting
By CAROL CHRISTIAN
Fort McMurray Today staff
Tuesday November 06, 2007
There were no promises or money from Prime Minister Stephen Harper during his brief visit to Wood Buffalo Monday, and only vague answers about any tangible results of the visit from area MP Brian Jean.
But that didn’t stop some of those business leaders who participated in a roundtable discussion with the PM from calling it a success, especially when it came to raising awareness of issues faced by the region.
Prentice: "We need to 'demystify' the SPP"
Prentice: We need to 'demystify' the SPP
Jim Prentice, the federal Industry Minister, says governments and business leaders in North America must do a better job of selling the virtues of closer economic and security links among the three countries.
In a speech Tuesday to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, he said there is an urgent need to "demystify" the push to closer ties among Canada, the United States and Mexico, as outlined in the Security and Prosperity Partnership launched in March of 2005.
Keystone & 2 other international pipeline stories
Analysis: Oil and Gas Pipeline Watch
Nov. 5, 2007 at 6:24 PM
By SIOBHAN DEVINE
UPI Correspondent
China finishes construction of tunnel for Sichuan-Shanghai gas pipeline
On Monday, workers in China’s Hubei province completed construction of a 1,405 meter tunnel connecting the banks of the Yangtze River in Yichang City for a new gas pipeline to supply China’s energy-short east.
Cold-- K Beaton comic
November 4, 2007
Cold (click on the image to view)
by Katie Beaton
The Dominion - http://www.dominionpaper.ca
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"Protect land ahead of [Mackenzie] pipeline, review panel told on last days of hearings"
Protect land ahead of pipeline, review panel told on last days of hearings
November 5, 2007 - 17:53
By: Bob Weber, THE CANADIAN PRESS
In two years of hearings in 26 northern communities, a panel reviewing the potential environmental and social impacts of a $16-billion natural gas pipeline down the Mackenzie Valley took in enough submissions to block a herd of caribou.
Greenpeace Opens Alberta Legislature Sitting with High Flying Protest
Greenpeace Opens Alberta Legislature Sitting with High Flying Protest
Edmonton, Canada — Four Greenpeace activists suspended their bodies 138 feet over the North Saskatchewan River today to hang two 23 x 50 foot banners from the High Level Bridge in Edmonton. The banners depict the areas under current and projected tar sands development with the message "Stop the Tar Sands." They hang in full view of the Alberta legislature, which opened today.
Six steps to “getting” the global ecological crisis
Six steps to “getting” the global ecological crisis
Posted by Prof. Goose on November 4, 2007 - 9:05am
John Feeney, Ph.D. Trained as a psychologist
Some of us who examine and discuss environmental matters are constantly puzzled and frustrated by the seeming inability of elected officials, environmental organizations, and environmental and political writers to “get” the nature of our ecological plight. Could it be they’re simply unaware of the ecological principles which enable one to understand it?
Fort Mac braces for huge rent hikes
Fort Mac braces for huge rent hikes
Three-bedroom place with leaky roof costs $2,950
By The Canadian Press
Sun. Nov 4 - 6:44 AM
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — Some apartment dwellers in northern Alberta’s booming oilsands were shocked this week to find notices posted on their doors warning of impending rent hikes exceeding $1,000 a month.
Management at River Park Glen told tenants the increases would become effective Feb. 1.
Edmonton: Rent crunch to worsen, go below 1% vacancy
Rent crunch to worsen
Vacancy rate forecasted to dip to under 1%
By KEVIN CRUSH, SUN MEDIA
Think the rental market is tight now? Just wait until next year.
That's when the apartment vacancy rate in Edmonton is forecasted to dip below the current 1% - making it that much harder for already frustrated renters to find a place to live.
"It's just getting retarded," said Jasmine, who asked her last name not be printed.
SIX MONTHS LOOKING
Jasmine said she's already spent more than six months trying to find a decent place for her and her fiance to rent with no luck.
