It is falsely assumed that big projects equal lots of jobs and, by extension, labour peace if not outright satisfaction. The size and scope of the tarsands means for incredibly dangerous work conditions-- some fatalities at the plants have already occurred. The products seldom get their "value added" in union-run locations, instead the heavy bitumen can be shipped to many different locations across North America for refining, denying benefits to the union. However, the Union does not represent the "guest worker", now being imported in increasing numbers as legislation is changed to make access easier, the term of exploitation last longer, without any new efforts or pathways to deciding to stay after helping tear up the earth.
Pipeline made an impact
December 7, 2009
By Greg Wees
WORLD-HERALD NEWS SERVICE
NORFOLK, Neb. — Crews who spent the summer here building part of one of the longest crude oil pipelines ever constructed have pulled up stakes.
It won’t be long before oil starts filling the 2,148-mile Keystone Pipeline.
“We expect to start to fill the line with oil this year. The fill process will take several months to complete,” said Jeff Rauh, a spokesman for pipeline owner TransCanada.
NAFTA paves U. S. route to energy from north
August 17, 2008
The Buffalo News, Jerry Zremski
Beneath the forests of Alberta, 2,300 miles miles northwest of Buffalo, you’ll find the latest black gold: a mix of sand and oil being mined as a new kind of gusher.
And Alberta’s Athabasca Oil Sands are just part of a petroleum boom that has made Canada the world’s top supplier of oil to the United States.
The boom could make its way to Buffalo through two proposed pipelines that would carry Canadian oil through Western New York to refineries in the Philadelphia area.
Climate talks target Alberta's oilsands
By Kelly Cryderman, Calgary Herald
December 6, 2009
As the world works toward the most important climate change agreement since Kyoto in 1997, the Canadian delegation will walk into the Copenhagen conference with a big, black bull's-eye on its back.
The sore spot--the increasing greenhouse gas emissions from Alberta's oilsands--will be as inescapable as Danish pastries when 192 countries gather in Copenhagen for 12 days beginning Monday.
'EnCana bomber' has quit: locals
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 2, 2009
CBC News
A 1.8-metre-wide crater left after an explosion in October 2008, about 50 kilometres east of Dawson Creek in northern B.C.A 1.8-metre-wide crater left after an explosion in October 2008, about 50 kilometres east of Dawson Creek in northern B.C. (RCMP)After five months of quiet, people in northeastern B.C. seem to believe the so-called "EnCana bomber" won't strike again.
Clay County commissioners reach impasse on Keystone crossing fees
Pipelines International, December 01, 2009
Commissioners from Clay County in Kansas, United States of America, have instructed the County Highway Department to refrain from issuing any road crossing permits required to construct TransCanada’s Keystone Pipeline until the issue of road crossing fees has been resolved.
Clay County has proposed a “road crossing fee” of $US1,500 for each road crossed by the Keystone Pipeline in their county.
Enbridge advisory meeting to be held
December 01, 2009
Terrace Standard
Enbridge Northern Gateway will be holding meetings in Kitimat and Smithers next week, some that will be open to the general public and some that won’t.
Enbridge’s multi-billion dollar proposed pipeline project would transport oil and condensate through twin pipelines between Alberta and Kitimat, with the oil being shipped overseas.
Peak Everything
By Gunther Ostermann
28 November, 2009
http://www.countercurrents.org/ostermann281109.htm
Countercurrents.org
The former media mogul Ted Turner challenged us in 1992 with this statement:' If we don't make the right choices after we have all the information, then we don't deserve to live."
Well, we have more than enough information. Oil and gas, the stored sun's energy, which took hundreds of millions of years to incubate, gone forever within this century. We are, in fact, approaching PEAK EVERYTHING.
Group formed to oppose pipeline plan
Written by Gordon Hoekstra
Prince George Citizen staff
Thursday, 26 November 2009
A new environmental group based in Prince George has been formed to fight Enbridge's proposed $4.5-billion oil and condensate pipelines through northern B.C.
EnCana sour gas leak under investigation in B.C.
November 27, 2009 |
CBC News
A safety investigation is being carried out by the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission after a dangerous sour gas leak from an EnCana pipeline forced about 15 northeastern B.C. residents to flee their homes on Sunday.
EnCana has yet to say what caused the leak at a well located about 10 kilometres south of Pouce Coupe, but officials have confirmed it was not caused by sabotage.
Pipelines, Energy, Economy
DEREK BURNEY
WEB | November 17, 2009
Shortly after 9/11, a senior US official approached the Canadian embassy in Washington to ask whom in Ottawa he should contact regarding shared strategic infrastructure, such as pipelines and electricity grids. Presumably Canada is today better equipped now than it seemed to have been then to cope with the threat, however minimal. In any event, the issue of pipeline security needs to be placed in the larger context of energy security and economic resilience.
