Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Gender

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.

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Art Manuel: The Olympic Torch Should Be Put Out

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

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

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

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.

Tar sands camps brimming despite cuts

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

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!

An alternative anniversary

An alternative anniversary
Charlotte Hilling
Northern News Services
Published Friday, July 3, 2009

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The social justice coalition Alternatives North has been making life easier for some, and uncomfortable for others, according to a raft of speakers at the 17th anniversary get together last Friday.

Union of Northern Workers president Todd Parsons said he would struggle to cope with his workload if it were not for the volunteer organization.

"I could not do all this work by myself - and because Alternatives North exists - I don't have to," he said.

Alberta's Conservatives well past their due-date

Published July 2, 2009 by Fast Forward Weekly reader in Letters

After Alberta Finance Minister Iris Evans’s misguided remarks about how mothers should stay home to raise young children (ignoring social and economic reality), it was hard to see how Conservative obliviousness about Albertans’ contemporary values could be made clearer. But Edmonton-Calder’s Conservative MLA Doug Elniski has topped his colleague with his repulsively sexist remarks on the web.

Military keeping low profile during 2010 Olympics

Military keeping low profile during 2010 Olympics
By: Jennifer Ditchburn, THE CANADIAN PRESS
2/03/2009

OTTAWA - The Canadian military wants to keep a low profile when it comes
to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and that includes keeping its
budget in check and out of the headlines.

Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden, commander of Canadian military operations at
home, underlined to a Commons committee Monday that "Operation
Podium" has so far stayed within its budget of $212 million for
specific military duties.

"Secret documents reveal sweeping new rules for natives"

Secret documents reveal sweeping new rules for natives

Native leaders warned Ottawa not to re-open the governance file unless it's willing to hold wide-ranging consultations but classified papers show government moving ahead
BILL CURRY
Globe and Mail
March 3, 2009

OTTAWA — The federal government is secretly planning an overhaul of the rules governing Canada's reserves that is far more sweeping than what Ottawa is telling Canada's chiefs and native leaders.