A Mere Temporary Set-Back
So, there it is; the shocking, expected, yet unexpected decision. Coinciding with an election year. It doesn't exactly have to make sense, ethically and/or economically. It's an emotional issue. Some consider it dreadfully misguided, but it has great popular support. The focus is on the environment and peoples' fears. No one in authority can give expert and scientific assurances that those fears will not be realized.
What we all value most, the sanctity of our natural resources, like clean air, potable water, arable fields, natural aquifers, fish, animal life, forests, are seen to be endangered. Who can blame people for reacting with panic and anger at the potential for disrupting all that is so valued? Particularly given the situation of that disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico when another foreign energy company was involved.
It isn't BP this time, but Alberta-sourced TransCanada. Aiming to transport oil from a source that has gained a disreputable opinion in the minds of environmentalists as 'tar sands'. The costly separation and dredging up of dirty oil, which has been responsible for further degrading the environment, both in Canada and abroad by drifting carbon particulates.
With this knowledge, science has been perfecting technological methods of cleaner, more economic extraction. The industry knows it is in its best interests to clean up its extraction and delivery methodology. And it is steadily moving toward a position of strength in those areas. But extraction will never be without environmental costs.
And there will never be a time in the foreseeable future when the oil that is extracted, refined and delivered will not be needed in an increasingly-energy-hungry world. And if not from Canada, a comfortable neighbour, why then from the Middle East or Sudan or Venezuela, which sources come with additional baggage.
In any event Keystone XL has been delayed. Its potential to transport 830,000 barrels daily of crude to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas put on hold. A temporary delay. Until the American elections are over.
And then the president, whether he be Barack Obama returning to the White House or another, will acknowledge the twin needs of his country: energy from a reliably benign source, and employment opportunities for Americans. Along with assurances to the environmentalists that vulnerable geographies will not be deleteriously impacted.
"Today's decision does not mean that America will consume one less barrel of oil. What it means is this: America will continue to import oil from jurisdictions with much weaker environmental policies and who do not share the same values as Canadians and Americans", stated Alberta Premier Alison Redford, stingingly, accurately.
The Keystone XL pipeline will be re-routed. Canada and the United States will kiss and make up. They always do. And it is in both their interests that they continue to do so. So they will.
What we all value most, the sanctity of our natural resources, like clean air, potable water, arable fields, natural aquifers, fish, animal life, forests, are seen to be endangered. Who can blame people for reacting with panic and anger at the potential for disrupting all that is so valued? Particularly given the situation of that disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico when another foreign energy company was involved.
It isn't BP this time, but Alberta-sourced TransCanada. Aiming to transport oil from a source that has gained a disreputable opinion in the minds of environmentalists as 'tar sands'. The costly separation and dredging up of dirty oil, which has been responsible for further degrading the environment, both in Canada and abroad by drifting carbon particulates.
With this knowledge, science has been perfecting technological methods of cleaner, more economic extraction. The industry knows it is in its best interests to clean up its extraction and delivery methodology. And it is steadily moving toward a position of strength in those areas. But extraction will never be without environmental costs.
And there will never be a time in the foreseeable future when the oil that is extracted, refined and delivered will not be needed in an increasingly-energy-hungry world. And if not from Canada, a comfortable neighbour, why then from the Middle East or Sudan or Venezuela, which sources come with additional baggage.
In any event Keystone XL has been delayed. Its potential to transport 830,000 barrels daily of crude to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas put on hold. A temporary delay. Until the American elections are over.
And then the president, whether he be Barack Obama returning to the White House or another, will acknowledge the twin needs of his country: energy from a reliably benign source, and employment opportunities for Americans. Along with assurances to the environmentalists that vulnerable geographies will not be deleteriously impacted.
"Today's decision does not mean that America will consume one less barrel of oil. What it means is this: America will continue to import oil from jurisdictions with much weaker environmental policies and who do not share the same values as Canadians and Americans", stated Alberta Premier Alison Redford, stingingly, accurately.
The Keystone XL pipeline will be re-routed. Canada and the United States will kiss and make up. They always do. And it is in both their interests that they continue to do so. So they will.
Labels: Canada/US Relations, Crisis Politics, Economy, Energy
posted by Pieface | 7:35 PM
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