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Canada is directly contributing to these events by exploiting some of the dirtiest oil on earth. Of course, the current regime will deny any connection between

Canada is directly contributing to these events by exploiting some of the dirtiest oil on earth. Of course, the current regime will deny any connection between forest fires, heatwaves and dirty oil. [0] [1] Good thing the US divested out of the mega pipeline project they were trying to push out. [0] https://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/05/04/news/fort-mcmurray-fires-related-global-climate-crisis-says-elizabeth-may https://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/05/04/news/fort-mcmurr... [1] https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/why-didnt-justin-trudeau-want-to-link-the-fort-mac-fire-to-climate-change/ https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/why-didnt-justin-tru...

munk-a 5y ago
The questions of pipelines in Canada is a really complex one - I am personally against any new pipelines being built but that oils going to keep being exported unless Alberta has a real change of heart and we're running out of small Quebecois towns[1] to burn to the ground when trains crash. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac-M%C3%A9gantic_rail_disaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac-M%C3%A9gantic_rail_disaste...
- 908B64B197 5y ago
  That was a horrible read. Quebec should ban these trains from entering it's borders.
  - voisin 5y ago
    Not sure they can. The federal government has authority under the constitution over interprovincial trade.
    - 908B64B197 5y ago
      Didn't like, a third of the provinces not sign the constitution? And I'm pretty sure interprovince transportation of alcohol is illegal so seems there's a precedent.
cknoxrun 5y ago
To preface this, I would love to see oil sands production halted. However, evidence seems to suggest it is far too idealistic to imagine a world where the oil manufacturers / countries leave all of that money on the table. In my opinion, this comes down to the demand side of the equation, and I get the sense that folks feel absolved of their own regional sins when they can still point to the supply side. We need to establish a new normal to handle the demand side, and that involves a few things even those calling for reducing oil production seem to abhor. As a minimum start, mass public transit, higher density living, much reduced meat consumption, reduced consumerism, smaller homes and lawns, local vacations, and higher upfront costs for energy efficient buildings and vehicles.
- voisin 5y ago
  We just need to have a more effective (10x higher) carbon tax and use the proceeds to fund solar and other renewables.
  - koheripbal 5y ago
    This only works if it's applied at the international level. Otherwise, you'll just push manufacturing to dirtier and dirtier jurisdictions. ...rewarding the least-ethical countries on Earth.
koheripbal 5y ago
You cannot stop oil production globally by shutting down local pipelines. That is like burning down a CVS so that people will use less toilet paper. If you want people to use less toilet paper, you need to alter demand - not production. Oil production just moves to jurisdictions that don't mind the externalities. On the other hand, if you remove a consumer, then you've eliminated that oil consumption globally.

munk-a 5y ago

The questions of pipelines in Canada is a really complex one - I am personally against any new pipelines being built but that oils going to keep being exported unless Alberta has a real change of heart and we're running out of small Quebecois towns[1] to burn to the ground when trains crash. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac-M%C3%A9gantic_rail_disaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac-M%C3%A9gantic_rail_disaste...

908B64B197 5y ago
That was a horrible read. Quebec should ban these trains from entering it's borders.
- voisin 5y ago
  Not sure they can. The federal government has authority under the constitution over interprovincial trade.
  - 908B64B197 5y ago
    Didn't like, a third of the provinces not sign the constitution? And I'm pretty sure interprovince transportation of alcohol is illegal so seems there's a precedent.

cknoxrun 5y ago

To preface this, I would love to see oil sands production halted. However, evidence seems to suggest it is far too idealistic to imagine a world where the oil manufacturers / countries leave all of that money on the table. In my opinion, this comes down to the demand side of the equation, and I get the sense that folks feel absolved of their own regional sins when they can still point to the supply side. We need to establish a new normal to handle the demand side, and that involves a few things even those calling for reducing oil production seem to abhor. As a minimum start, mass public transit, higher density living, much reduced meat consumption, reduced consumerism, smaller homes and lawns, local vacations, and higher upfront costs for energy efficient buildings and vehicles.

voisin 5y ago
We just need to have a more effective (10x higher) carbon tax and use the proceeds to fund solar and other renewables.
- koheripbal 5y ago
  This only works if it's applied at the international level. Otherwise, you'll just push manufacturing to dirtier and dirtier jurisdictions. ...rewarding the least-ethical countries on Earth.

koheripbal 5y ago

You cannot stop oil production globally by shutting down local pipelines. That is like burning down a CVS so that people will use less toilet paper. If you want people to use less toilet paper, you need to alter demand - not production. Oil production just moves to jurisdictions that don't mind the externalities. On the other hand, if you remove a consumer, then you've eliminated that oil consumption globally.