Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Labour / Migration

It is falsely assumed that big projects equal lots of jobs and, by extension, labour peace if not outright satisfaction. The size and scope of the tarsands means for incredibly dangerous work conditions-- some fatalities at the plants have already occurred. The products seldom get their "value added" in union-run locations, instead the heavy bitumen can be shipped to many different locations across North America for refining, denying benefits to the union. However, the Union does not represent the "guest worker", now being imported in increasing numbers as legislation is changed to make access easier, the term of exploitation last longer, without any new efforts or pathways to deciding to stay after helping tear up the earth.

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“The (labour) picture [in Fort Muck] isn’t getting any better – in fact it’s getting worse."

Fort Hills to cost $14-billion
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070628.WBwenergyblo...
Norval Scott, June 28, 2007 at 10:45 AM EDT

Venezuelan Gusanos Flock to Fort McMurray

Fleeing Chavez, oil workers flock to frigid Alberta
By JOEL MILLMAN, The Wall Street Journal
Associated Press Financial Wire
June 26, 2007 Tuesday 2:10 PM GMT

FORT McMURRAY, Alberta Before he left Venezuela in April for this
petroleum outpost in northern Alberta, Freddy Mendez heard tales
about bone-chilling winter cold and lumbering moose. Since he's come
to town, he's seen two black bears in his neighborhood. Still, the
toughest adjustment is the late-night sun.

"You get a lot of work done when the sun doesn't set until 11," he

Fort McMurray: Boomtown on a bender

Boomtown on a bender

Jun 28th 2007 | FORT MCMURRAY
From The Economist print edition
The downside of explosive growth in northern Alberta

WITH C$36 billion ($25 billion) invested so far in its oil sands and another C$45 billion expected over the next decade, the Canadian province of Alberta is booming. Workers have flocked in, lured by wages of up to C$120,000 a year. The once sleepy town of Fort McMurray, at the centre of the bonanza, boasts a crowded casino and a busy airport. But big money has brought big problems, including overstretched infrastructure and soaring drug use.

US Refineries to Double Tar Sands intake by 2015: CAPP

As the first new refinery in the US for 30 years was announced recently, it is worthy to note the number of new ones that are planned for the future increase in tar sands production. They are needed, since the US sees the tarsands as "domestic" production.

--M

US refinery demand for Canadian crude to double by 2015: CAPP

BY JUDY MONCHUK, CP

CALGARY (CP) _ U.S. refinery demand for western Canadian crude oil is projected to almost double by 2015, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says in its annual outlook.

Keystone Pipeline Bad For Canada, Lawyer Says

Keystone Pipeline Bad For Canada, Lawyer Says
Jun, 21 2007 - 2:30 PM
http://www.770chqr.com/news/news_local.cfm?cat=7428436912&rem=68315&red=...

CALGARY/AM770CHQR - The lawyer representing Canada's largest energy workers union has told Calgary hearings on a massive pipeline project, it's a bad deal for Canada and Canadians.

The Keystone Pipeline would export half a million barrells per day of raw bitumen from the Alberta oilsands to the U.S.

Globe and Mail Blogger on China in the Tar Sands

Chinese dragons sniff around the oilpatch
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070621.WBwenergyblo...
Norval Scott, 21/06/07 at 1:21 PM EDT
Blog from Globe and Mail Report on Business

Inside Energy is on the road, finding out what there is to see and do in Edmonton at the 3rd Canada-China Economic Co-operation conference, which is being billed this time around as "Energy and beyond."

Chinese National Petroleum Corp. Admits to Owning leases in Tar Sands

China leases a bit of Alberta's oil patch
State-owned CNPC buys rights to develop oil sands properties

NORVAL SCOTT
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070622.RCNPC22/TPStor...
June 22, 2007

EDMONTON -- In a possible first step toward becoming a producer of Canadian crude, the Chinese National Petroleum Corp., China's largest oil company, revealed yesterday that it has acquired some land in Alberta, with the intention to eventually develop an oil sands project if possible.

Notes from the Tar Pits: From McMurray to MacKay

Notes from the Tarpits:
Between MacKay and McMurray, my run in with the Gigaproject
June 14, 2007

It's Time for Albertans to Draw a line in the (Tar) Sand

IT'S TIME FOR ALBERTANS TO DRAW A LINE IN THE (TAR) SAND
http://www.vueweekly.com/articles/default.aspx?i=6589
BILL MOORE-KILGANNON / pialberta.org

There once was a thin red line on a map. That may sound like the start of a fairy tale, but in fact it is the real beginning of a critical debate about Alberta’s energy future.

AFL: Public hearings begin today to build "Mega Pipeline"-- Keystone

Public hearings begin today at National Energy Board on proposal to
build "mega-pipeline" to move unrefined oilsands from Alberta to
refineries in U.S.
Labour groups lead charge to keep value-added jobs in Alberta

CALGARY, June 4 /CNW/ - Hearings begin this week before the National
Energy Board in Calgary to determine whether or not the first of several
"mega-pipelines" designed to move unrefined bitumen from the Alberta's
oilsands to refineries in the United States will be allowed to proceed.
The pipeline under consideration is called the Keystone pipeline and is