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.
Transplanted wild rose likes B.C. better
http://www.quesnelobserver.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=27&cat=48&id=...
By Andrea Johnson
Jul 08 2007
Went back to Wild Rose country a few weeks ago.
Fuelled by a major energy boom, Alberta hasn’t really changed from when I was last there two years ago.
Except for the fact both Edmonton and Calgary boast a population of more than one million, there is road construction chaos everywhere – infrastructure is crumbling.
Three-year Suncor contract gets nod from union workers
UPDATED: 2007-07-06 01:53:16 MST
By CP
http://calsun.canoe.ca/Business/2007/07/06/4317550-sun.html
FORT McMURRAY -- About half of unionized workers at Suncor Energy Inc. near Fort McMurray have voted in favour of a new three-year contract.
Members of the Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) Local 707 approved an agreement including a wage increase of 7% in the first year and 6% in each of the following two years, as well as a $4,000 lump sum payment.
FORT MCMONEY, FORT MCPROBLEMS
http://www.vueweekly.com/articles/default.aspx?i=6751
ANDREW CISAKOWSKI / cisa@vueweekly.com
For the past decade, Fort McMurray has grown at a rate of 10 per cent per year, over twice the provincial average. During this time it has developed all the characteristics of a boomtown: skyrocketing prices, overstretched infrastructure and a growing homeless problem. Only able to raise money through increasing property taxes, the city is at a loss of how to deal with these problems. More and more, public pressure is mounting for oil companies to foot the bill.
Oil tanker traffic ‘under radar’ along B.C. coastline
http://www.ladysmithchronicle.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=18&cat=23&...
By Brennan Clarke
Black Press
Jul 03 2007
VICTORIA – Increasing oil tanker activity in B.C.’s northern waters has West Coast NDPers calling on Ottawa and Victoria to “formalize” a long-standing moratorium on tanker traffic and offshore exploration.
http://www.dominionpaper.ca/weblogs/maya_rolbin_ghanie/1259
posted by Maya Rolbin-Ghanie and Fort McMurray to Fort Chipewyan
June 29, 2007
What in Tarnation?
Fort Hills to cost $14-billion
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070628.WBwenergyblo...
Norval Scott, June 28, 2007 at 10:45 AM EDT
Oilsands Facing Aboriginal Opposition
Copyright 2007 Nickle's Energy Group Copyright, a division of HCN
Publications Company
All Rights Reserved
Daily Oil Bulletin
A couple of First Nations groups are protesting oilsands operations
in their backyards.
The Woodland Cree First Nation (WCFN) says it intends to file an
intervention with the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board regarding
Shell Canada Limited's Carmon Creek oilsands project near Peace River.
Meanwhile the Clearwater River Dene Nation in northwest Saskatchewan
"The issue has gained prominence mainly because of several proposals
to construct pipelines linking Alberta with the coast at Prince
Rupert or Kitimat. Crude oil from the oil sands would be pumped west
for export, while "condensate" used to thin the thick crude in the
pipeline would be removed and sent back eastward along a parallel pipe."
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
June 25, 2007 Monday
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070625.BCTANKERS25/TP...
MPs call for Northern B.C. oil-tanker ban; Fear of spills could shut
http://www.upi.com/Security_Terrorism/Analysis/2007/05/21/ou...
Published: May 21, 2007 at 2:23 PM
Outside View: Nuclear CO2 warming costs
By HELEN CALDICOTT UPI
Outside View Commentator
MELBOURNE, May 21 (UPI) -- The fact is, it takes energy to make energy --
even nuclear energy. And the true "energetic costs" of making nuclear
energy -- the amounts of traditionally generated fuel it takes to create
"new" nuclear energy -- have not been tallied up until very recently.
What exactly is nuclear power? It is a very expensive, sophisticated and
Boomtown on a bender
Jun 28th 2007 | FORT MCMURRAY
From The Economist print edition
The downside of explosive growth in northern Alberta
WITH C$36 billion ($25 billion) invested so far in its oil sands and another C$45 billion expected over the next decade, the Canadian province of Alberta is booming. Workers have flocked in, lured by wages of up to C$120,000 a year. The once sleepy town of Fort McMurray, at the centre of the bonanza, boasts a crowded casino and a busy airport. But big money has brought big problems, including overstretched infrastructure and soaring drug use.
