Oil Sands. Noun. Politically untouchable entity formerly known as the Tar Sands. A money belching poison pit of environmental destruction. Anyone who dares to speak honestly about the Oil Sands will be accused of attacking the economy, dividing the country, disrespecting Alberta and could be tagged an eco-terrorist.
Oil Sands is to Canada’s economy what heroin is to an addict, plain and simple. If we quit the Oil Sands, we will suffer. If we don’t quit the Oil Sands, we will suffer. No matter what we do, sooner or later we will suffer. Canadian Governments behave like enablers and spin kinds of twisty, turny, contortionist explanations for why we can’t even discuss the problem openly and honestly. This is a political hot potato of epic proportions and everyone keeps pussy footing around so as not to cause a stir.
Time to rip the bandage off.
What Canada needs is an intervention and some straight talk from the people who love her. Politicians who want to tackle this oil addiction have to modernize their messaging. We need straight talk and problem solving to blow the stigma off this issue. Political parties should be competing with each other to solve the problem not attacking anyone who dares bring it to the public eye.
Bottom Line: Addicts will destroy their health and even risk death in order not to suffer withdrawal from heroin. And that’s what Canada is doing with the Oil Sands.
