Gender impacts are often completely ignored within the hollow social impact assessments often conducted in the modern era. Oil patches and natural gas operations are overwhelmingly operated by young men who naturally go into small towns nearby after weeks in the bush. Alcohol and/or drug fuelled violence and rape often increase in communities dealing with such an influx, as do drug use, alcoholism and sexual exploitation. The effect on the community leads to further social breakdown and often violence against elders—especially after the “rush” of initial construction is over and the spike in money is gone, but the torn up earth is still there, along with fatherless children in many cases. The higher the rate in inequality and alienation during a "boom" cycle, the higher the levels of gender-biased impacts. The plans for the tar sands are the single largest project, and therefore "boom" based "collateral damage" could easily match anything seen before.
Oilpatch activist released in pipeline bombings case
By Laura Drake and Richard Warnica,
Canwest News Service
January 9, 2010
GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — After hours of police interrogation, controversial oilpatch activist Wiebo Ludwig walked out of an Alberta police station facing no charges Saturday — a day after he was arrested in connection with a series of pipeline bombings.
Wiebo Ludwig arrested in pipeline bombings
By Ryan Cormier, Hanneke Brooymans and Paula Simons, edmontonjournal.com
January 8, 2010
EDMONTON — Convicted oilpatch bomber Wiebo Ludwig has been taken into custody by the RCMP in connection with the bombings of EnCana’s pipelines in Northern British Columbia, says a friend and his lawyer.
“We believe he’s been arrested,” said Richard Boonstra, a family friend who lives on the same property. “That’s all we know. We’re in the dark here.”
Mackenzie Pipeline saga to drag on despite Joint Review Panel approval
By Lauren Krugel (CP)
CALGARY — The Mackenzie Gas Project's supporters will usher in 2010 having passed a major milestone in what has been a long and often frustrating process.
But it's not time to uncork the champagne just yet.
There are numerous hurdles the backers of the 1,200-kilometre natural gas pipeline through the Northwest Territories must clear before a single segment of pipe can be laid.
Panel Issues Mackenzie Natural Gas Report
Panel weighing Canada's Mackenzie natural gas pipeline issues environmental report
CALGARY, Alberta December 30, 2009 (AP)
The Associated Press
A nearly decade-long quest to build a multibillion-dollar natural gas pipeline in Canada's north has cleared a major hurdle with the release of a years-overdue regulatory report Wednesday.
From: Arthur Manuel
Subject: RE: Olympic Torch in Kahnawake, QC URGENT
The Olympic Torch Should Be Put Out
Canada is using the Olympic Torch Relay to hide their terrible human rights
record in regard to Indigenous Peoples here in Canada and Internationally.
Canada voted against the United Nations Declaration on Rights of the
Indigenous Peoples on June 26, 2006 at the Human Rights Council and in
September 13, 2007 before United Nations General Assembly.
143 State Governments voted in favour of the Declaration of the Rights of
H2Oil examines the tar sands
By John Griffin, Gazette Film CriticNovember 27, 2009
If Peter Mettler’s Petropolis sings the awful, awesome Alberta tar sands aesthetic, Shannon Walsh’s H2Oil maps its skin, muscle, bones and blood.
Mettler’s ravishing tone poem played last month’s Festival du nouveau cinéma.
Northern Alberta economy braces for next boom
By Archie McLean, Canwest News Service
October 3, 2009
The economic slowdown has been good for Fort McMurray. But with things picking up again in the oilsands, many wonder if they’re prepared to weather the next boom.
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — In recent years, simply treating employees well wasn't enough to keep them serving customers in Fort McMurray.
Alberta Clipper oil pipeline project creates housing crunch in Bemidji
Posted: Sep 16, 2009
BEMIDJI, Minn. (AP) -- The influx of workers building the new Alberta Clipper oil pipeline across northern Minnesota has meant a shortage of rental housing in the Bemidji area.
Some homeowners are renting rooms to pipeline workers and a local hotel that's been closed for several years may reopen as construction activity ramps up.
Oilsands camps brimming despite cuts
By Dave Cooper, Edmonton Journal
August 18, 2009
The number of staff in Fort Mc-Murray work camps and lodges has remained high despite the cutbacks of major projects last fall, according to a census released by the Oil Sands Developers Group.
The 2010 Plan to Crush Our Freedoms
Olympics security overkill: Why so afraid of protest?
By Rafe Mair
20 Jul 2009,
TheTyee.ca
Less than two weeks ago, Bud Mercer, head of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated
Security Unit looking after security for the 2010 Olympics, raised with
Vancouver City Council the specter of the violent clashes that rocked World
Trade Organization meetings in Seattle and Quebec City.
To combat these forecasted dangers, the taxpayer is spending one billion
dollars, at last count, and using 16,000 police and armed forces personnel!
