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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O’Connor says he was ‘bullied’ by committee

O’Connor says he was ‘bullied’ by committee
CAROL CHRISTIAN
July 6, 2009
Today staff

When local physician Dr. John O'Connor appeared June 11 in Ottawa before the federal committee looking into the impact of oilsands development on freshwater, it wasn't the enlightening question and answer session he expected.

Instead he was grilled about his credentials, background and the last remaining complaint filed by Health Canada of causing undue alarm when he blew the whistle on elevated cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan.

End of the US $ as Reserve Currency?

Globe and Mail July 6, 2009
Calls grow to supplant dollar as global currency

France joins China, India and Russia in calling for a new reserve standard on the eve of the G8 summit

Karim Bardeesy

The call to find an alternative to the U.S dollar as the global reserve currency is gaining momentum as France joined calls by China, India and Russia for a review of the world's currency practices.

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde challenged the dollar's supremacy “in a world that has changed because of the crisis and the growing role of emerging countries.”

53 charges for CNRL, Contractors in Deaths of Foreign Workers

53 charges for CNRL, contractors
CAROL CHRISTIAN
Today staff

Following a record 53 charges laid against three companies for a 2007 accident that killed two workers at the oilsands work site, the Alberta Federation of Labour blames the provincial government for not being more vigilant to prevent such a tragedy.

Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) announced 53 charges yesterday in connection to the April 24, 2007, accident that also injured four other workers, two seriously, at the Canadian Natural Resources Horizon project, about 75 kilometres north of Fort McMurray.

An alternative anniversary

An alternative anniversary
Charlotte Hilling
Northern News Services
Published Friday, July 3, 2009

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The social justice coalition Alternatives North has been making life easier for some, and uncomfortable for others, according to a raft of speakers at the 17th anniversary get together last Friday.

Union of Northern Workers president Todd Parsons said he would struggle to cope with his workload if it were not for the volunteer organization.

"I could not do all this work by myself - and because Alternatives North exists - I don't have to," he said.

"Little Hope In the Mackenzie Gas Project"

Little hope in the pipeline

Repeated delays of Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline have Inuvik seeing red

By Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post
July 2, 2009

Inuvik, N.W.T. -- The conversation in this town of 3,500 in the Western Arctic should be about aboriginal self-sufficiency, environmentally responsible Northern development and a new clean-energy storehouse with immense potential. After all, the proposed $16.2-billion Mackenzie Valley natural-gas pipeline project was supposed to be under construction by now.

Victory in San Francisco: Community and Public Health Advocates Halt Chevron Refinery Expansion

** Community and Public Health Advocates Halt Chevron Refinery Expansion
_________________________________________________

For Immediate Release: July 2, 2009

Contact:

Will Rostov, Earthjustice, (510) 550-6725
Torm Nompraseurt, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, (510) 323-5245
Greg Karras, Communities for a Better Environment, (415) 902-2666
Henry Clark, West County Toxics Coalition, (510) 232-3427

Community and Public Health Advocates Halt Chevron Refinery Expansion at
Richmond, CA

Martinez, CA – Contra Costa County Superiior Court Judge Barbara Zuniga has

How Shell lost the goodwill of stakeholders [Enviros greenwashing Shell].

Shell: Shifting Sands
From Canadian Business magazine, July 20, 2009
How Shell lost the goodwill of stakeholders.

Enbridge pushes Clipper pipeline project

Enbridge pushes pipeline project
3 July 2009

Enbridge's oil infrastructure projects are picking up pace

The need to add capacity to North America’s oil infrastructure will be resolved with the construction of a 1,000-mile long Canada to US oil pipeline set to begin in August.

Houston-headquartered Enbridge Energy’s pipeline is part of a construction project, Alberta Clipper and Southern Lights, on two pipelines designed to match demand for greater energy security.

Resistance to Enbridge Clipper [Minnesota, Wisconsin] Growing

Opponents Try Late Rally Against Enbridge Clipper
Published July 01 2009
Duluth News Tribune

Opponents of the Enbridge Alberta Clipper pipeline rallied Tuesday in Duluth to announce they are trying legal and political efforts to stop the oil pipeline.

Marty Cobenais, with the Indigenous Environmental Network, based in Bemidji, describes the pollution and environmental destruction caused by mining tar sands in Alberta at a news conference Tuesday in Duluth.

Access and benefits negotiations with Imperial Oil stalled [DFN]

Access and benefits negotiations with Imperial Oil stalled
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, July 2, 2009

TTHEK'EHDELI/JEAN MARIE RIVER - Access and benefits negotiations between the Dehcho First Nation and Imperial Oil have stalled.

On June 24, DFN delegates attending the nations' annual assembly were informed by Shane Parrish that access and benefits negotiations with Imperial Oil for the Mackenzie Gas Project have hit an impasse.