Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Social Impacts

Social Impacts. Overnight injections of migrant workers will not build healthy communities and can have severely adverse impacts on existing communities, especially those of indigenous nations on their traditional lands. Such development brings vices and long term displacement too often. Drugs, alcohol and associated violence spreads. Hunting becomes difficult when the land is threatened, leading to a further loss of culture and tradition. In towns like Fort McMurray there is no planning for the future, but merely consumption in the present. However transient the individuals may be, the populations will not leave, as “development” takes on a logic all its own. All levels of run away development are subordinate to that development, not social need.

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The Rock's most precious resource

The Rock's most precious resource
Gordon Pitts

Rushoon, Nfld. — Globe and Mail Aug. 12, 2009

As a 17-year-old with an adventurous spirit, Ann-Marie Cheeseman spent part of last summer driving 40-ton trucks in the Alberta oil sands. She made big money for a Newfoundland teenager, clearing close to $3,000 a week.

But she doesn't want to return to the oil sands, leaving her family and friends in the harbour village of Rushoon on the wild, beautiful Burin Peninsula. “I'd go back to Alberta only if I had to,” she says firmly.

Skidding oil sends Suncor into red

Skidding oil sends Suncor into red
Investors stay focused on $22.5-billion Petro-Canada takeover
Edmonton Journal
July 23, 2009

Suncor Energy sank into the red in the second quarter as skidding oil prices, hedging losses and costs related to project deferrals marred the last reporting period before it closes its $22.5-billion takeover of Petro-Canada.

CEO Rick George said his company will move ahead with major investments after the takeover, and jettison assets by focusing on projects that offer the lowest risk, highest returns and near-term cash flow.

BC: Environmentalists trying to stop sound bombs

Environmentalists trying to stop sound bombs

Updated: Fri Aug. 14 2009 09:31:54

The Canadian Press

Environmentalists are in Federal Court hoping to block seismic testing that will send high decibel blasts into the ocean off Vancouver Island, possibly harming whales and other marine life in the area.

A U.S. research team wants to investigate the tectonic plates making up the ocean sub-floor around the Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents marine protected area, 250 kilometres west of Vancouver Island.

Suncor’s Edmonton refinery suffers processing problem

Suncor’s Edmonton refinery suffers processing problem
David Finlayson, edmontonjournal.com
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Black smoke emitted from the Suncor refinery east of Edmonton on August 12, 2009.

EDMONTON - It will take “days not hours” to get Suncor’s Edmonton refinery back to full production after a problem at its hydrogen supplier caused the shutdown of some units for the second time in a month, the company said Thursday.

"Funding offered for Northern Gateway environmental assessment"

Members of First Nations along the corridor being discussed have said that such "consultations" should not take place, since they have already indicated an explicit NO to pipelines, tanker traffic, ports and more. Holding these very hearings is a clear VIOLATION of indigenous sovereignty. This position deserves support.

--M

Funding offered for Northern Gateway environmental assessment
By Amelia Bellamy-Royds August 7, 2009 05:25 pm

Developers move ahead with IPP projects

Developers move ahead with projects
By _Keith McNeill - Clearwater Times_

Published: August 10, 2009 5:00 AM

Run-of-the-river hydro projects have become a hot issue in this province
but three such projects north of Blue River are still going ahead.
According to Canadian Hydro Developers Inc. of Calgary, the proposed Bone
Creek (20 MW), Clemina Creek (9.9 MW) and Serpentine Creek (9.5 MW)
hydroelectric projects together would generate enough to power 21,000 homes if
the homes didn't mind receiving power service only in the spring and early

New pipeline from tar sands

New pipeline from oilsands
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
11th August 2009

CALGARY -- Inter Pipeline Fund says major construction work has wrapped up on a $1.8-billion expansion to a pipeline that links a major oilsands mine near Fort McMurray to the Edmonton area.

The Calgary-based energy transporter said yesterday it has finished installing 467 km of 42-in. diameter pipeline and 43 km of 20-in. diameter pipeline as part of the Corridor expansion and is $100 million under budget, having "materially eliminated its exposure to cost overrun risk."

The oil patch's latest boom: Substance abuse

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.

Open letter calls for renegotiating NAFTA and an end to SPP ahead of summit

Open letter calls for renegotiating NAFTA and an end to SPP ahead of summit
By Staff

Common Frontiers, a network of church, labour, environmental, and civil society groups, and the Réseau québcois sur l’Intégration continentale have sent the following open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper ahead of his summit next week with U.S president Barack Obama and Mexican president Felipe Calderón in Guadalajara, Mexico:

An Open Letter To Prime Minister Stephen Harper Re: North American Leaders Summit

Dear Prime Minister Harper,

Northeasterners forced to give up oil heat?

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.