Health

The oil patch's latest boom: Substance abuse
Carrie Tait, Financial Post
August 11, 2009

Buses carry oil workers to their jobs in Fort McMurray Alta. Alcohol abuse proved to be one of the most "chronic" challenges in the oil industry's labour force, according to a recent report. Brent Foster/National Post Staff Buses carry oil workers to their jobs in Fort McMurray Alta. Alcohol abuse proved to be one of the most "chronic" challenges in the oil industry's labour force, according to a recent report.

Thousands of homes might have to replace oil furnaces with wood-burning heaters
Northeasterners forced to give up oil heat?

By Steve Milloy Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Northeastern governors may ban home furnaces that burn oil in order to meet greenhouse gas emission limits.

The governors are expected to approve “a blueprint for slashing carbon dioxide from cars — and perhaps home furnaces — by January,” reports ClimateWire.

ACFN member climbs flagpole to protest oilsands
Activists call on wife of RBC CEO to help protect communities

By SHAWN BELL, SRJ Reporter 05.AUG.09

An Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation member climbed a 50-foot flagpole in downtown Toronto on July 29 to protest the Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) involvement in financing the oilsands.
Eriel Deranger was one of two Rainforest Action Network (RAN) protesters who hung a 30-foot high banner in front of RBC’s Canadian headquarters, calling on the wife of RBC’s CEO to encourage her husband to withdraw financing for new oilsands projects.

Nuclear Power Causes Cancer: What Industry Doesn't Want You To Know
Samuel Epstein,
Cancer prevention expert, prof. emeritus at U. of IL School of Public Health, Chicago
August 4, 2009
Huffington Post

Irving Oil and BP Will Not Proceed With Proposed Second Refinery
Release date: 24 July 2009

BP and Irving Oil announced today they will not be moving forward at this time with the proposed second refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, as a result of global economic and industry conditions
The joint technical and commercial feasibility study that the two companies have been conducting over the last 18 months concluded that the project was not viable at a time of global economic recession and dampening forecasts for petroleum product demand in North America.

Dene Chief Upset Over Canadian Defence Report
By SHAWN BELL, SRJ Reporter 21.JUL.09

Bill Erasmus Dene National Chief

The Dene Nation has denounced a new report that claims Treaty 8 First Nations pose a threat of violence to oilsands and other resource development in Western Canada.
The report, prepared for the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute by Tom Flanagan, states that incidences of violence and protests over resource development will continue as Aboriginal rights and environmentalist movements grow.

Chevron to appeal ruling on Richmond refinery

Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, July 9, 2009

(07-08) 18:40 PDT -- Chevron Corp. will appeal a judge's order that it halt an upgrade to its Richmond refinery and revise its environmental review, a ruling that the company blames for causing more than a thousand layoffs.

"We think the judge was wrong," refinery manager Mike Coyle said Tuesday, as he showed off two huge furnaces at the center of the dispute.

The 2010 Plan to Crush Our Freedoms
Olympics security overkill: Why so afraid of protest?
By Rafe Mair
20 Jul 2009,
TheTyee.ca

Less than two weeks ago, Bud Mercer, head of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated
Security Unit looking after security for the 2010 Olympics, raised with
Vancouver City Council the specter of the violent clashes that rocked World
Trade Organization meetings in Seattle and Quebec City.

To combat these forecasted dangers, the taxpayer is spending one billion
dollars, at last count, and using 16,000 police and armed forces personnel!

Commissioners Approve Pipeline Right-Of-Way
Pretty significant pipeline, says Mayor
Molly Payne
1600kush.com
07/20/2009

Chevron: Invest in Richmond's Future

New America Media, Commentary, Jeff Ritterman
Jul 19, 2009