Federal documents spark outcry by oil sands critics
The documents, obtained through an access to information request and released by Greenpeace Canada, are a draft diplomatic strategy outlining ways to shape European perceptions of Canada’s oil sands. They show that the government’s messages are intended to shift attitudes in media and among top decision makers regarding the oil sands industry, which faces a possible effective import ban in Europe as the continent pursues a low-carbon fuel strategy.
In the document, environmental organizations and aboriginal groups are shown as “adversaries.” Industry associations, energy companies and the National Energy Board – which is supposed to serve as an independent body evaluating new projects – are listed as “allies.”
Remember that US news article that described Canada as a jingoistic petro-state? Yup. There’s exactly one industry that’s creating new jobs and new employment, and our government is totally unwilling to contemplate any diversification away from that industry. The only diversification we hear about is diversification to more export partners, which is really not the same thing.
If the EU’s plan to tax fuels that take more energy to extract more heavily passes WTO muster, we are more or less effed. There is no way we can divert all our exports to China without years of infrastructure changes, and the US can’t absorb all the excess supply. This is a seriously suboptimal trajectory we’re headed down.
