Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Health

The Health implications in terms of these projects are vast, and not just the deadly explosions and industrial accidents that happen in production-—from reported increases in rare forms of cancer downstream from tar sands production to the pollution of fresh water leading to poisoned diets (fish, moose and plant toxicity)—-direct links are hard to establish but impossible to either rule out or ignore, especially where tarsand operations constitute overwhelmingly the greatest change to the environment in most corners of the continent effected directly by tarsand infrastructure.

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Peace River: Environmental group protests the nuclear plant

Environmental group protests the nuclear plant
Peace River Environmental Society questions economic benefit and ecological effect
Justin Pot / R-G Staffwriter
Tuesday September 11, 2007

It’s Wednesday afternoon. Inside the Peace Valley Inn’s Emerald Room representatives from Energy Alberta are handing out pamphlets and talking to citizens about their concerns regarding the proposed nuclear power plant. A Power Point presentation loops on a white screen, tables are arrayed with information and refreshments as the representatives make the rounds, talking to everyone who comes in.

Angry Union Workers Continue Loud Demonstrations Against Labour Laws

Angry Union Workers Continue Loud Demonstrations Against Labour Laws
Sep, 13 2007 - 2:40 PM

CALGARY/AM770CHQR - A court ruling early Thursday morning has put the kibosh on information pickets being staged at various locations throughout the province, particularly in the Edmonton area and Fort McMurray.
Outside the Petro-Canada refinery in Fort Saskatchewan, the cease and desist order didn't have much of an impact, as many more workers gathered, including Roger Jordan.

Canada votes 'no' as UN native rights declaration passes

Canada votes 'no' as UN native rights declaration passes
Last Updated: Thursday, September 13, 2007 | 3:07 PM CT
CBC News

The international community adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on Thursday, despite high-profile opposition from Canada and three other countries.

Street drugs, gangs on rise in the West

Street drugs, gangs on rise in the West
'Street-level' social problems worst in Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver: study
Larissa Liepins, CanWest News Service
Published: Wednesday, September 12

Western Canadian cities are fighting a rising tide of street drugs and gang activity, says a report released Tuesday by the Canada West Foundation.

In researching Hard Times: A Portrait of Street Level Social Problems in Western Canada, the foundation consulted 311 frontline workers, experts and community leaders.

Canada's water 'on the negotiating table'

Canada's water 'on the negotiating table,' report says
Vague wording in NAFTA doesn't protect country against bulk shipments and other forms of sale to the U.S.
MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070910.WATER10/TPStor...
September 10, 2007

Despite regular assurances from the federal government that Canada won't allow water exports, the country remains vulnerable to water diversions to an increasingly thirsty United States, says a new research paper commissioned by the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto.

Shell likely player in Peace River Nuke Plans (UK Press)

As always, when a corporation (with their pliant media friends) wants to get away with something completely unattractive-- such as using disgusting power forms to get disgusting power forms of energy--- turning nukes into tar! They will not likely speak clearly about what they are doing to the local population, lest that engender resistance. So, why not look at the international media (in this case, the conservative UK daily "Independent"), who will definitely talk about something so big, important and likely to help set international trends.

Alberta Construction Workers Serve Strike Notice

Alberta carpenters serve strike notice
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070906.RTICKERMAIN06/...
DAVID EBNER

September 6, 2007

Carpenters in Alberta may briefly go on strike this weekend, a strange twist in prolonged and complicated contract talks between builders in the province and construction workers.

Rah-rah-radicals

Rah-rah-radicals
Changing the world, one pom-pom at a time
Francois Marchand, edmontonjournal.com
Published: Saturday, September 8, 2007
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/ed/story.html?id=96db584f-d46...

Samantha Power and her cheerleading squad are rehearsing their jumps and kicks and readying their rah-rah-rahs.

"It's a lot of practice," says Power, a former University of Alberta Students' Union president. "We want to be pretty tight. We have a few friends who have been cheerleaders before to teach us how to do those types of things."

Kings of the coal habit

Kings of the coal habit
The fate of our warming planet hinges on six nations, and five of them meet in Sydney this week

Jeremy Leggett
Wednesday September 5, 2007
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2162457,00.html

Through his long years of greenhouse denial, George Bush must have been particularly grateful to John Howard. The Australian prime minister was quick to join Bush in refusing to ratify the Kyoto protocol, and has batted for his country's coal interests as trenchantly as Bush has batted for US coal and oil interests.

Tar sand mining growing at huge environmental cost

Tar sand mining growing at huge environmental cost
http://www.peopleandplanet.net/doc.php?id=3079
Posted: 23 Aug 2007

Canadian tar sands deposits hold an estimated 1.7 trillion barrels of crude oil, second in the world only to Saudi Arabia, but the devastating environmental impact of mining them far exceeds that of conventional oil, says new research to be published next month (September 2007).