Climate Change / Emissions

Politicians vs. our last healthy industry
Mark Milke, For The Calgary Herald
Published: Friday, October 10, 2008

In a serendipitous release Wednesday, Statistics Canada published data on how much the oil and gas industry spends on extraction, i.e., getting oil and gas out of the ground so we can power our automobiles and heat our homes and offices, among other uses.

The numbers are staggering. In 2007, the industry spent $49.7 billion on capital expenditures. On the operating side, Canada's energy industry cut cheques worth $37.6 billion.

Next president could make huge oil sands deal with Canada
Posted: October 10, 2008, 11:13 AM by Jonathan Ratner
Energy

George Monbiot stirs debate over fate of tar sands
By Matthew Burrows

George Monbiot wants the Alberta tar-sands industry shut down “as quickly as possible”.

The best-selling author, Guardian columnist, and environmentalist told the Georgia Straight he would like to see “large-scale direct actions” to make that happen.

Scream star 'horrified' by oilsands
edmonton journal
Published: 9:56 am

EDMONTON - Actress Neve Campbell toured the Fort McMurray oilsands this week and met with leaders of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and the Mikisew Cree First Nation.

"I'm horrified by the pace and scale of development in the tar sands, and the weak response by our federal and provincial governments," Campbell said in a news release today.

The Peak Oil Crisis: Bailouts & Shortages
Written by Tom Whipple
Thursday, 02 October 2008 11:19

We are witnessing one of the most eventful weeks in modern history. Stocks and oil prices plunged on Monday and bounced on Tuesday; credit markets seem to be freezing; the Congress remains in gridlock as members watch the approaching elections fearful of what could happen to their incumbency.

In the South gasoline supplies have been short for two weeks and prices there have bounced back to $4 a gallon. The economic news gets worse with every release of new numbers.

Enbridge CEO says Harper bitumen plan no threat
Tue Oct 7, 2008 2:21pm EDT
By Cameron French

TORONTO, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc Chief Executive Pat Daniel said on Tuesday that a campaign pledge by Canada's governing Conservatives to halt exports of tar-like bitumen to countries whose environmental record is weaker than Canada's is no threat to Enbridge's planned C$4.2 billion pipeline to the Pacific Coast.

No pipelines to China: Harper out of touch - Energy union president addresses Munk Centre

TORONTO, Oct. 8 /CNW Telbec/ - Stephen Harper has completely misled
Canadians with his comments about the oil industry last week in Calgary and
again during the leaders' debate.
Mr. Harper said that to enforce greenhouse gas reduction, Canada must
prohibit the export of bitumen to any country with lesser targets, such as
China.
"There are no pipelines to China, and no oil exports to China," says the
president of Canada's largest energy union. "Our bitumen pipelines are all to

Oil sands will pollute Great Lakes, report warns
Massive refinery expansions for processing crude threaten to wipe out clean-up progress around world's largest body of fresh water
MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT //October 8, 2008 // Globe and Mail

The environmental impacts of Alberta's oil sands will not be restricted to Western Canada, researchers say, but will extend thousands of kilometres away to the Great Lakes, threatening water and air quality around the world's largest body of fresh water.

http://www.cjsr.ualberta.ca/cms/news/news.php?s=riseup&ep=1377&

The above link provides:

Edmonton 2010 "Spirit Train" Protest Full Length
(CJSR Radio Broadcast, hosted by Aaron Chubb)

Dr Helen Caldicott: Truth is stranger than fission
Helen Caldicott warns about the still-present nuclear danger

SCOTT HARRIS / scott@vueweekly.com

For more than 35 years, Dr Helen Caldicott has been an outspoken critic of the follies of the nuclear age, dedicating her life to shining a spotlight on the risks posed to human health and the environment by both nuclear weapons and the widespread use of nuclear power.