One way to think about climate activism is to see if it focuses on the supply of or demand for fossil fuels – pipelines or cars, hydrocarbons or carbon emissions. This distinction is not a new one, is doubtless very simplistic and has often been used to chastise activists. Here,
Continue readingTag: Northern Gateway
Montreal Simon: Stephen Harper and the Great Kitimat Rebellion
When historians assess the legacy of Stephen Harper fifty years from now, the many scandals of his corrupt regime will probably merit only a few paragraphs.But what they will say of him without a doubt, is that at a critical point in human history he failed his country and his
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Kitimat Says No To Northern Gateway
Polls are for dogs, but an honest to gawd plebiscite, where Big Oil outspent the local opposition a gazillion to one and still lost badly…now that’s scientific. I suspect support levels are the same province-wide (60/40 against). And I suspect somewhere in Ottawa, Harper and Co. are wondering whether they
Continue readingthe reeves report: Reports question NEB’s approval process for Northern Gateway and Line 9 pipelines
Enbridge under fire as opponents of controversial pipeline projects worry the Canadian energy giant will be ill-prepared to handle potential ruptures throughout Southern Ontario and on B.C.’s rugged coast. Opponents of Enbridge’s Line 9B pipeline in Southern Ontario are scrambling in the wake of its tentative approval earlier this month by the
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: First Nations Man the Front Trench in Our Fight For Canada
We should all be immensely proud and grateful for the intervention of Canada’s First Nations in the fight to defend our country from environmental degradation, even catastrophe. They’re leading our fight, make no mistake about that. The rest of us are the supporting actors in this one but that doesn’t
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Cognitive Dissonance is a Lousy Political Platform, Even for the Liberals.
Cognitive dissonance occurs when an entity embraces two or more contradictory beliefs or values at the same time. As social psychologist Leon Festinger showed, cognitive dissonance in an individual leads to psychological distress. To cope, that individual or entity may simply block out information that contributes to the stress of
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Proselytizing on Pipeline Politics
The controversial Keystone XL pipeline has received a big bolster of support by a US State Department report finding that the pipeline won’t create a significant increase in greenhouse gases, effectively ensuring that Barack Obama will OK the proposal. A huge amount of momentum in the environmental movement was tied
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: The unholy trinity of the Alberta tarsands industry,…
The unholy trinity of the Alberta tarsands industry, the Conservative Party and the right-wing media has gone all-out in its attacks on Neil Young for his stance against their destructive policies and actions. One thing that these corporate wolves and subservient sheep overlook is that, of course, Neil Young
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Northern Gateway Pipeline: Something I Didn’t Know
There is also an interesting wrinkle in the JRP’s [Joint Review Panel’s] decision, specifically its inclusion of a “sunset clause.”And that states “the certificate [to proceed] will expire on 31 December 2016, unless construction of the pipeline or the Kitimat Terminal has commenced by that date.” For reasons mentioned above,
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper’s Rude Welcome to British Columbia
Well after two weeks in virtual seclusion plotting his comeback, and hiding from the media, Stephen Harper finally stumbled out of his crypt. Jetted off to British Columbia.And got a warm B.C. welcome. Two climate change activists managed to sneak up behind Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Monday just as he
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Spy Watchdog and the Northern Gateway Pipeline
Well it seems that Stephen Harper is pulling out all the stops to try to crush all opposition to his Northern Gateway pipeline.By not only getting the National Energy Board to rubber-stamp his insane project.But also by getting Canada's top spy watchdog to lobby for the pipeline maniacs from Enbridge. Read more
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper and the Northern Gateway Scam
Well I see Stephen Harper got an early Christmas present, courtesy of the Big Oil gang at the National Energy Board. A polarizing debate over the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline heated up Thursday after an independent panel from the National Energy Board recommended the federal government approve the pipeline with conditions.Because
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Northern Gateway Set To Heat Up
The National Energy Board (NEB) report on the project is set to be released by month’s end. All the media hoopla around the release will occur…wait for it…in Alberta, with B.C., the province through which most of the pipe-line will run, made a mere spectator. Assuming the NEB gives its
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Referendums on Pipelines?
The longstanding “will they or won’t they” dynamic existing between BC premier Christy Clark and Alberta premier Alison Redford took a turn for the depressing recently when they announced they had come to a framework agreement on pipelines. While short on specifics and not making any firm pledges, the deal
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Andrew Leach Lays Out The Odds
“We see Northern Gateway as the most vulnerable,” Samir Kayande, vice-president at ITG Investments, said during a panel discussion on the Financial Post website this week. “[TransCanada’s Corp.’s] Energy East and TMX [Kinder Morgan Inc.’s Trans Mountain] are most likely [with TMX benefiting from having built the loop through Jasper
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: British Columbia’s Position – Enbridge Cannot Be Trusted, No to Northern Gateway
The British Columbia government, it seems, has spoken out loud and clear in opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline. Even Christy Clark would be in peril if she tried to step down from this stand. Here are excerpts from the government’s brief. “Many parts of the pipeline will be
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper and the Great Pipeline Crusade
Well he may be losing his battle to convince Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, but I see nothing will stop Stephen Harper from launching yet another oily crusade. First he will conquer or bribe British Columbia.A parade of cabinet ministers and senior bureaucrats will head to British Columbia
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Does It Come With A Free Bowl Of Soup?
TERRACE, B.C. – The equity offer from Northern Gateway to aboriginal groups along the route of a controversial oil pipeline would amount to as little as $70,000 a year for some bands, according to one base offer obtained by The Canadian Press. HOW MUCH? That’s less than I make in
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: We’re #1 (In Oil Spills((Especially Alberta)))
A toxic waste spill in northern Alberta has killed off roughly 42 hectares of boreal forest, in what could be the biggest environmental disaster in North America in recent history. The Tar sands…salting everything they touch.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: They Have Re-Elected Their "Liberal" Lapdog – Now They’re Coming For Our Coast
It will probably be sooner rather than later before we find out whether Christy Clark will become British Columbia’s Judas Goat to the Northern Gateway and Kinder Morgan pipeline/supertanker fiascos. Steve Harper, Alison Redford and Enbridge just need to buy or coerce Clark’s capitulation, make her sell-out the province and
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