Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

CEP asks Court to overturn Keystone Pipeline Decision

The only thing that is not understood for public consumption is that Enbridge and Trans Canada are not really in competition. These pipe plans, when taken into account along side the recent US nudge to the Federal Government of Canada to heighten production by five times, are not competing but rather complementary with the other pipelines being proposed to move heavy bitumen. This is an indicator of the sheer size of these plans, the scope of the tarsands and what we must do to really effect stopping them.

It would appear that, quietly, Canada has assured investors on all sides that the plans to quintuple oil production-- helping finance US energy needs since they have invaded Iraq and sanctioned Iran-- will not seriously be challenged from Parliament Hill. It then also flows that *we* are that challenge, should we accept it.

Here's a series of maps *from Trans Canada* indicating how much more infrastructure is to be built while destroying the earth and heating the atmosphere:

http://www.transcanada.com/keystone/#maps

...and here's a CEP news release about the planned pipes.

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Union asks Court to overturn Keystone Pipeline Decision

OTTAWA, March 12 /CNW Telbec/ - The Communications, Energy and
Paperworkers Union of Canada today filed a motion in the Federal Court of
Appeal for leave to appeal the recent decision of the National Energy Board
regarding the Keystone Pipeline Project, proposed by the TransCanada Pipeline
Company.

The Union argues that the National Energy Board made several errors
including a failure to acknowledge that job creation and value added
production are important factors in determining the public interest.

"We believe that we have no choice but to challenge this decision," said
President Dave Coles. "The NEB has ruled that it is in the public interest to
ensure that oil companies can export bitumen, but value-added processing is
irrelevant. We say this gross double standard cannot be the basis for
regulatory decisions about the development of energy resources in Canada."

CEP presented evidence to the NEB prepared by Mike McCracken, one of
Canada's leading economists, indicating that as many as 18,000 jobs could be
created if the bitumen that could be exported by the Keystone Pipeline, is
first upgraded and refined in Canada. The NEB ruled that concerns over jobs
and economic development of the energy sector, were matters of government
policy and for that reason not relevant to the public interest decision it has
to make.

"Economic consequences of this character and magnitude are undeniably
matters of valid public interest concerns and it was not reasonable for the
Board to have disregarded the purpose for which the pipeline would be used in
determining the public interest," said CEP Lawyer Steven Shrybman in documents
filed with the court today.

In its decision released in early February, the NEB approved the transfer
of an existing TransCanada gas pipeline to use as an oil/bitumen pipeline for
the Keystone Project Hearings for approval of the Keystone Project itself are
scheduled for June.

For further information: Dave Coles, (613) 299-5628 or Steve Shrybman
(Sack Goldblatt Mitchell), (613) 235-5327

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