The Process ... Going Forward

"Because this permit decision could affect the health and safety of the American people as well as the environment, and because a number of concerns have been raised through the public process, we should take the time to ensure that all questions are properly addressed and all the potential impacts are properly understood.
"The final decision should be guided by an open, transparent process that is informed by the best available science and the voices of the American people." U.S. President Barack Obama

Certainly, Americans and more specifically the good people of Oregon, Nebraska and Texas should have a say in whether or not an oil pipeline will go through environmentally sensitive areas of their states. It is their country, in which they are emotionally and practically invested. There is also an obvious bias among people who have been convinced that Alberta oil is dirty and harmful to the environment, both in its extraction and transport, let alone use.

It is clear that Barack Obama is playing to the electorate. Opinions on either side of the debate are inflamed and become even more so as time goes on. It isn't just the experience in the Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill that threatened the livelihood and quality of life, and the very existence of wildlife when that uncontrolled spill flooded the area with the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

There is a bit of xenophobia in there, the fear that foreigners will invade the country with their hurried schemes to make money and leave Americans to clean up the mess they leave behind. The fact is, that despite President Obama's voiced concerns and soothing understanding of the reaction to the Keystone XL oilsands pipeline, he is transparently concerned about his re-election.

Very close scrutiny by the U.S. State Department was given to the proposed pipeline. A series of environmental assessments were conducted and concluded that there would be no risk whatever; the all-clear was given, and it was up to the American president to make a presidential decision. One that would most certainly alienate a good proportion of the electorate that brought him to office, should he give the green light.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 26, 2011 -TransCanada Corporation (TSX, NYSE: TRP) (TransCanada) is pleased that the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline has reaffirmed the environmental integrity of the project.

This is the third Environmental Impact Statement that the U.S. Department of State has issued on Keystone XL since the review process began in 2008. "The Final Environmental Impact Statement reaffirms the findings of the two previous environmental impact statements that the Keystone XL pipeline will have no significant impact on the environment," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer. "Today's Final Environmental Impact Statement continues to demonstrate the focus on safety and the environment that has gone into the development of this critical North American pipeline.

The environmental review process for Keystone XL (culminating in the FEIS) has been the most exhaustive and detailed review for a cross-border pipeline that has ever been undertaken by of the Department of State. "We know how hard the Department of State has worked to make this review process as transparent and thorough as possible, including consulting with more than 10 other federal agencies," Girling added. "We appreciate their continued commitment to completing their review by the end of this year."

"We are disappointed with today's decision to delay a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. As we have consistently said, the pipeline will create thousands of jobs and billions in economic growth on both sides of the border. While disappointed with the delay, we remain hopeful the project will be decided on its merits and eventually approved." Andrew MacDougall, spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper considered the decision a done deal. He called it a "no brainer", interviewed at the G20 meeting. He has an analytical mind, and is a fairly straight-shooter. American cut-throat politics and the wide polarizing divisions between the Republicans and the Democrats don't quite resemble the gentle-by-comparison ideological rifts between Canada's major political parties. This is a Democratic president.

"Up until about one o'clock this afternoon we were anticipating a presidential permit by the end of 2011", lamented Robert Jones, vice-president of Keystone Pipelines for TransCanada. Giving meaning to that old bromide not to count your chickens before they're hatched. The more fanatic of the protesters, Mr. Jones should be aware, liken his company's anticipation to that of Atilla the Hun hungering to loot his victims' resources.

Photograph by: JOSHUA ROBERTS, REUTERS

And despite signage that some protesters carry with the message "tar sand oil is blood oil", it is most certainly not. Rather, much of the oil that Americans use that comes from Saudi Arabia, the oil kingdom that has funded radical madrassas worldwide that teach the glories of violent jihad to young Muslims, who then emerge as martyrs-in-waiting, is blood oil. And Americans have paid the Saudis for their clean oil handsomely, turning it into blood oil.

"We remain confident Keystone XL will ultimately be approved. This project is too important to the U.S. economy, the Canadian economy and the national interest of the United States for it not to proceed", confided TransCanada's president and chief executive officer buoyantly.

And Alberta's new premier, Alison Redford, had her opinion on the matter as well, ripe for publication: "I sincerely hope that the State Department made this decision based on science and evidence and not rhetoric and hyperbole from very well-organized interest groups. I will seek immediate answers from U.S. officials to determine why this decision was made and how the process will unfold going forward."

Listen carefully: It's the election, stupid. That's why this decision was made. As for the process unfolding going forward ... think post-election, 2012.

Dismissed.