by John Michael Greer

The Archdruid Report (September 03 2008)

Druid perspectives on nature, culture, and the future of industrial society

The mismatch between the narratives of sudden apocalypse that shape so
much of today's debate about the future, on the one hand, and the
sluggish pace at which the predicament of industrial society unfolds in
the real world, on the other, found a poster child of sorts last
weekend. During the days of uncertainty before Hurricane Gustav's
arrival on the Louisiana coast, some enthusiastic soul posted claims to

'Blood diamond' smugglers threaten Canada's northern industry
Andrew Mayeda , Canwest News Service
Published: Thursday, September 04, 2008

OTTAWA - The diamond industry in Canada's Far North is vulnerable to smugglers looking to import "blood diamonds" or launder the proceeds of organized crime syndicates and terrorist organizations, newly released federal documents say.

MAN KILLED IN CNRL TAILINGS POND
September 4, 2008
Man killed in CNRL pond
Posted By By CAROL CHRISTIAN

Alberta’s shadow minister of employment wants a Canadian Natural Resources site shut down until the company can prove once and for all its Horizon site is safe.

Liberal MLA Hugh MacDonald called for the closure Wednesday after a third fatality in less than 18 months at the site, about 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray.

Canada pushing to exploit Alberta's oil sand
Rob Gillies, Associated Press
Sunday, August 31, 2008
(08-31) 04:00 PDT Fort McMurray, Alberta

The largest dump truck in the world is parked under a huge mechanical shovel waiting to transport 400 tons of oily sand at an open pit mine in the northern reaches of Alberta.

Each Caterpillar 797B heavy hauler - three stories high, with tires twice as tall as the average man - carries the equivalent of 200 barrels of heavy oil worth nearly $23,000 per haul at today's prices.

Toll road may aid pipeline costs
SHAWN MCCARTHY // GLOBAL ENERGY REPORTER
August 29, 2008

OTTAWA -- The federal and territorial governments are looking at inviting private-sector partners to build a toll highway up the Mackenzie Valley as a way of opening the North for development and lowering costs for a long-delayed natural gas pipeline.

Why oil won't fall below $100
With a surge in the price of global commodities, it's costing more to produce a barrel of oil than ever before.
By Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Last Updated: August 22, 2008: 3:47 AM EDT

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Last week, falling oil prices looked unstoppable. The last few days have seen a halt in that slide. Still with prices well below the record set in July and a shaky world economy threatening demand, the question remains: How low can oil go?

Oilsands housing expansion announced
Dave Cooper, edmontonjournal.com
Published: Tuesday, August 26

EDMONTON - For the sixth time since 2007, PTI Group's Wapasu Creek Lodge near the Suncor plant north of Fort McMurray is set to expand.

The facility will grow to 2,942 rooms, an increase of 672 dorm-style rooms, to accommodate a mix of workers from the surrounding oilsands area. Oil States International (NYSE:OIS), owner of PTI, expects the new rooms to be opened by mid-2009.

"We foresee more expansion in the future to serve our multiple clients," says spokesman Bradley Dodson.

NAFTA paves U. S. route to energy from north
Pipelines may let area share boom
By Jerry Zremski NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF

Beneath the forests of Alberta, 2,300 miles miles northwest of Buffalo, you’ll find the latest black gold: a mix of sand and oil being mined as a new kind of gusher.

And Alberta’s Athabasca Oil Sands are just part of a petroleum boom that has made Canada the world’s top supplier of oil to the United States.

August 4, 2008
TransCanada announces plan to expand Keystone pipeline capacity
Richard Gilbert
staff writer

A Calgary-based company is expanding its plans to build a pipeline to transport oil from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast, while construction of the project ramps up in both countries.

The Keystone pipeline expansion involves the construction of a 3,200-kilometre, 36-inch crude oil pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to a delivery point near existing terminals in Port Arthur, Texas.

Increase of Migrant Workers in Canada Opens Door to Abuses
By Am Johal, IPS News. Posted July 31, 2008.

Canada's construction boom has brought in thousands of foreign workers. They're being horribly exploited.
Tools

VANCOUVER, Jul 15 (IPS) -- Western Canada's construction boom, spurred on by the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and oil sands development in Alberta, has led to a massive increase in foreign temporary workers coming to the region.