It has been 8 months since Plains Midstream Canada reported that there had been a Rainbow Pipeline leak, 100 km NE of Peace River, Alberta. As of December 2, 2011, there have been no updates made to the Plains Midstream Canada web site. [ Web Updates ] The largest Alberta
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Chiquita si, tar sands no
Chiquita Brands has caused a bit of a flutter on the Canadian scene by announcing it will avoid using fuel from Alberta’s tar sands. The company says it has joined 13 other companies in trying to reduce its carbon footprint. The announcement is timely. According to an industry report, the
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: ‘Consumer Energy Alliance’ Front Group Exposed by The Tyee and Salon
Consumer Energy Alliance.png In a must-read piece co-published today by Salon.com and The Tyee, Geoff Dembicki exposes the dark underbelly of the public relations and lobbying industry, revealing the interconnectedness between Alberta tar sands movers and shakers in Alberta and their oily compatriots in Washington. The investigative article focuses on the fossil fuel industry front group
Continue readingAlberta values are not Western values
Globe and Mail columnist John Ibbitson recently gave a talk to a standing-room only crowd of Torontonians about how a set of Western values has captured the country. Ibbitson was, I suspect, making a mistake common to Eastern pundits. He was assuming that what might be called Alberta values form
Continue reading350 or bust: Durban: Youth Turn Their Backs In Response To Canadian Government’s Disregard For Their Future
Here’s another post from Ani, part of the Canadian Youth Delegation in Durban, South Africa where the 10 days of U.N. climate negotiations have less than 48 hours to go, and no agreement is in sight. Here is her account of the recent action by some of the other members
Continue reading350 or bust: Canada, You Were Once Considered A Leader On Global Issues Like Human Rights & Environmental Protection
From Postmedia News: Archbishop and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu is challenging the Canadian government’s support for the oil and gas industry, while urging it to start leading the world in addressing climate change as it did in opposing the “whites-only” rule that plagued South Africa in the 1980s. An ad
Continue readingFive of Five: Alberta Legislature: Scumbags, Holodomor and Property Rights
There was a debate in the Legislature today (29 Nov 2011) regarding landowner property rights. There is no doubt that at least 4 of the bills passed in the Stelmach era went too far by removing basic landowner rights, eliminating public consultation and removing the appeal process. Wildrose MLA Paul
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: On climate, Canada is a rogue state
On Sunday, CTV leaked Canada’s intentions to pull out of the Kyoto treaty process on climate change. What is significant about Kyoto is that it is a legally binding international treaty, and one that puts the onus of emission reductions on the countries that have done the most to cause the
Continue readingDid the CFL invite Albertans Jann Arden and Nickelback to play the Grey Cup to please HMH (His Majesty Harper)?
It seems like Harper worms his way into almost any situation with which he is involved so that his cronies and compatriots reap the awards of his place of privilege. I suppose it could be coincidence that two Albertan acts entertained at a Grey Cup located in BC but since
Continue readingImpolitical: Alberta Tories talk taxes
Very interesting debate going on in Alberta: “Alta. Tories defend talk about provincial sales tax.” The Alberta PCs are finding themselves in a budget bind, with dwindling revenues from energy sources and are looking for new ones. Yes, they are looking at increasing revenues. It sounds as if they are
Continue readingRusty Idols: Alison Redford owes me an apology
Me and the millions of other Canadians and Albertans who care about the environment for suggesting that she has the right to go to Washington and lobby for the Keystone Pipeline but those who oppose the project shouldn’t have the same right. OTTAWA — Premier Alison Redford found herself Thursday
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Gas Industry Geologists – Not Doctors – Decide If Water Is "Safe" in Alberta Fracking Contamination Cases
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Water contamination is at the heart of the fracking debate. Gas companies and their well-funded industry support groups (still) adamantly contend that &l…
Continue readingHerbinator: Struggling Health Orthodoxy
I get thoroughly entertained by orthodox views of the Alternative-health paradigm in Alberta; indeed, I am often reminded of a not-to-be-identified close relative. It is always rather fun to read of someone unknowingly constrained by a monopoly construct being slowly exposed to intriguing yet sacrilegious ideas of a competing ideology.
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Breaking: State Department Delays Keystone XL Decision Until 2013
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The State Department announced today that they would “seek additional information” about the Keystone XL pipeline, meaning that they will take another 12 months at…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The fine points of democracy are all Greek to Albertans
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and French President Nikolas Sarkozy threaten Greek taxpayers with expulsion from the Eurozone if they don’t shape up and destroy the Greek middle class. European politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. B…
Continue readingsomecanuckchick dot com: Rainbow Pipeline Leak — Six Months Later…
It has been 6 months since Plains Midstream Canada reported that there had been a Rainbow Pipeline leak, 100 km NE of Peace River, Alberta. Initially, the Alberta media were told by Plains Midstream Canada that only a few hundred barrels of oil had leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline… There
Continue readingSix more MPs for Alberta—not good news for this Albertan
I admit to ambivalence about the government’s announcement that under the proposed Fair Representation Act the country will gain 30 more MPs. It is a good thing, of course, to strive for more equitable representation and that’s what this Act attempts t…
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Canadian Embassy Coaches Diplomats To Promote Tar Sands, Overstate Environmental Protection Efforts
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The Canadian government, on the provincial and federal level, needs to tag team on tar sands public relations, according to an internal Canadian Embassy document reported on by …
Continue readingRusty Idols: Wildrose Push Poll?
I got an automated polling call last night and out of curiosity listened to it all the way through. It very quickly became clear I was probably listening to a Wildrose Party push poll with lots of questions like “If you knew that PC leader Allison Redford supported the Liberal
Continue readingPolitics and Entertainment: Ron Liepert, Alberta’s Energy Minister, calls Opponents of Keystone XL Liars
Alberta Energy Minister Ron Liepert says that those of us who object to the building of the #KeystoneXL are lying. A pretty strong accusation for a government minister no doubt borne of frustration since we’re winning, and their combined 28 c…
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