Labour / Migration

World oil prices fall to $59
Lisa Wright
Business Reporter

Oil prices fell below $60 a barrel yesterday – and gasoline prices are tumbling too – but you may want to hold off on celebrating those sweet savings at the pumps.

Economists warn of the gloomier big picture: namely, that we're far from out of the woods when it comes to the global financial crisis.

And with oil and our coveted tar sands crucial to Canada's economy and prices continuing to fall, things are likely to get much worse before they get better, they say.

Keep 'world's dirtiest fuel' out of Quebec, green groups say

Enbridge project. Tar sands oil would flow by pipeline from Alberta
The Gazette
Thursday, November 06

Environmental groups want the Quebec government to stop a plan that would ship the dirtiest kind of oil from Alberta's tar sands projects through Quebec to the U.S. East Coast and on to Texas - with some possibly being refined in Montreal's east end.

Canadian Natural's cuts a blow to oil patch
Company scales back Horizon spending as list of stalled oil sands projects grows; 'this environment is scary'

NORVAL SCOTT

November 7, 2008

CALGARY -- The bulk of the next phase of the oil sands is effectively on hold.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. slashed spending yesterday on its Horizon oil sands project, its biggest development ever, because of spiralling costs and lower oil prices, joining a long list of producers that have significantly scaled back or altered their plans.

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.

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."

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)

Finding room for Canada
PM faces an uphill battle to gain the next president's ear, experts say

By CHRISTINA SPENCER, NATIONAL BUREAU

Imagine what it was like to be the American president in the year 2000.

The U.S. was not at war. It boasted a hefty budget surplus. Markets were stable and the average price of crude was under $30 US. The environment wasn't a political priority. Sept. 11 held no special significance.

Now, imagine the hailstorm of crises facing whichever man is elected president of the U.S. on Tuesday.

Ft. Chip residents, activists protest oilsands intrusion
Clara Ho, The Edmonton Journal
Published: 12:00 am

Mike Mercredi is ready to fight what he calls the "slow industrial genocide" that oil companies are waging on the people in his hometown of Fort Chipewyan.

Last year there were over 20 deaths in the community of 1,200 people. Many were cancer-related deaths, which Mercredi said are linked to the oilsands activities in nearby Fort McMurray.

"Let's put a lid on it and slow things down," he said. "The graveyard is getting full."

Oil sands-carrier pipeline may be delayed
Funding uncertain from major shippers on Keystone pipeline
By Tom Stundza -- Purchasing, 10/29/2008 9:42:00 AM

Uncertainty over the pace of oil sands development could delay the construction of a major pipeline that will connect Canada’s Alberta province to the U.S. Gulf Coast, potentially slowing the flow of bitumen to an untapped refining market. The key utility is worried about the level of funding from protential major shippers on the pipeline.

Maple Leaf poultry plant plucks more than chickens

Abuse of Temporary Foreign Workers underlies labour dispute

EDMONTON, Oct. 7 /CNW/ - Maple Leaf Foods' misuse of the temporary
foreign worker (TFW) program is an attempt to maintain an artificially low
wage in their poultry plant according to the United Food and Commercial
Workers Local 1118 and is a key element in the ongoing strike at the plant.
"Canadians were assured by the government that TFWs would always be paid
fair market wages and promised that employers like Maple Leaf would not be