Labour / Migration

Imperial CEO says oilsands needs to burnish its image

Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post Published: Wednesday, March 12, 2008

When Tim Hearn started working at Imperial Oil Ltd. 41 years ago, oil was worth US$1.80 a barrel and natural gas 16¢ per thousand cubic feet.

With oil prices nearing US$110 and gas prices US$10,Mr. Hearn, 64, is retiring on March 31 as CEO and chairman of Imperial, leaving behind a company with no debt and pushing forward some of Canada's largest oil and gas projects. Mr. Hearn will be replaced by Bruce March, 51, an Exxon Mobil Corp. refining executive.

Alberta hit with 800 complaints from foreign workers
Accommodation, unfair wage deductions cited
Kelly Cryderman, Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Just a day before a House of Commons committee meets in Edmonton to discuss the issue of temporary foreign workers, the province revealed it has received more than 800 complaints from foreign labourers in the past 31/2 months.

The most common complaints revolve around perceived unfair wage deductions, fees charged by recruitment agencies and accommodation issues.

Groups slam foreign worker program
By BROOKES MERRITT, SUN MEDIA

Alberta's temporary foreign worker program has no oversight and is mired in so much bureaucracy that employers are allowed to treat hopeful immigrants like indentured labour.

That's what a federal committee travelling Canada to examine immigration issues heard in Edmonton yesterday, during a lengthy meeting in which several interest groups blasted the provincial and federal governments.

'INHERENTLY EXPLOITIVE'

Oilsands tailings mined for minerals

By CAROL CHRISTIAN
Today staff
Tuesday April 01, 2008
Mineral rich waste from oilsands mining may soon be the source used to produce a long list of manufactured products from ceramic tiles and paints to electronics and medical appliances.
This could all come about thanks to a pilot project initiated by Titanium Corporation, and funded, in part, through Alberta Energy’s Innovation Fund. The Alberta grant is valued at $3.5 million, an amount being matched by the Toronto-based company.

Canada rushes for its black gold

Released on 27/03/2008

[B]lack gloop is behind a massive boom that is pushing Canada’s construction spend to record heights and sucking skilled workers from all over the country and the world.

Before 2003 Fort McMurray was a quiet town just about as far north in the Canadian province of Alberta as you’d wish to go. Now it’s the epicenter of a building boom that is pushing the whole country’s construction spend to record heights, and a trailer there costs more than a house in downtown Toronto.

Syncrude Won't Accept Loss In Oil Sands Royalty Deal - Report
Dow Jones
March 12, 2008: 10:27 AM EST

OTTAWA -(Dow Jones)- Syncrude Canada Ltd. will only accept a new oil sands royalty deal with the Alberta government that "doesn't short-shrift shareholders," shareholder Imperial Oil Ltd. (IMO) said, the National Post reported Wednesday.

However, partners in the Syncrude consortium are prepared to negotiate a new agreement under Alberta's new oil and gas royalty scheme, Imperial's outgoing chief executive, Tim Hearn, told the newspaper.

Another hatchet job on oilsands
Industry threatens sovereignty, doc says
Gary Lamphier, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Saturday, March 15

EDMONTON - I fully expected a one-sided slag job, featuring the usual assortment of capitalist-bashing, America-loathing lefty ideologues.

I wasn't disappointed. Thursday's airing of Tar Sands: The Selling of Alberta, on CBC Television's Doc Zone, was merely the latest in a string of sensationalist hatchet jobs on Alberta's key industry, courtesy of the national media.

New projects pitched to ease Fort McMurray housing woes

By The Canadian Press - For Business Edge
Published: 03/07/2008 - Vol. 8, No. 5

The Wood Buffalo Housing and Development Corp. is looking to get into the land development business to alleviate Fort McMurray's housing crunch.

The municipally-owned, non-profit corporation presented a proposal to regional council last week for developing two areas of Fort McMurray north of the Athabasca River.

Oil-rich Alberta showing shades of Green

From the Globe and Mail Feb 21, 2008

DAWN WALTON

With a report from Katherine O'Neill in Fort McMurray, Alta.

February 21, 2008

LACOMBE, ALTA. -- Alberta Green Party candidate Joe Anglin could hardly believe his eyes when 50 people - mainly baby boomers, some seniors and, on the surface, not a single member of the granola set - took their seats in the Lacombe parish hall over the long weekend.

Enbridge mulls re-reversal of Canada oil pipeline
Scott Haggett, Reuters
Published: 6:49 am

EDMONTON, Alberta (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc is looking at moving oil sands crude to the U.S. Northeast and Eastern Canada by reversing the flow of one of its pipelines or building a new one, its chief executive said on Monday.

Enbridge, whose pipelines carry the lion's share of Canada's crude exports to the United States, may construct a new line to Philadelphia from southern Ontario or re-reverse the flow of Line 9 to Montreal from Sarnia, Ontario, Enbridge CEO Pat Daniel said.