Obama win could upset oilsands: Expert
NEIL MACKINNON /METRO CALGARY
November 05, 2008 05:06
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A Barack Obama presidency may hold some environmental trouble for Alberta’s energy dependent economy, says the University of Calgary’s Institute for United States Policy research director.
Stephen Randall said with Obama in power, a pipeline running from Alaska through Alberta to the States might not go ahead, causing an economic ripple throughout the province.
“There was already legislation passed last year prohibiting federal agencies from importing energy which basically violates their environmental standards, and that includes bitumen, which is our oil- sands,” Randall said. “That could hurt us if Obama decides to broaden that legislation beyond federal agencies.”
On the flip side, Randall said, Obama isn’t as caught up in the whole anti-terrorism frenzy which characterized the past eight years of George W. Bush’s presidency.
“Obama can’t be seen by the electorate as overly lax on security issues, he has to be seen as tough,” Randall said.
