Neil Young blasts Harper government for allowing development of Alberta oilsands

[Zipperfish]

I read his book, Waging Heavy Peace, largely because it was given to me as a gift.. but i seem to remember buying some his records back in the early 70s.. and consider him a gifted (at times) songwriter and artist.

Anyway the book was a kind of bizarre hodge podge of sentiment drenched reminiscences, incoherent technological, social and philosophical speculations, and notes on a luxurious, classic car obsessed, lifestyle in California and Hawaii.. absolutely none of which recommend him as qualified or competent to address the issues of oil sand development in Canada.. i mean its not like he needs the jobs it provides to feed his family.

So he should stick to things he has a talent for.

I reached the same conclusion. He does have a penchant for writing (which he comes by honestly; his dad was a sportswriter for the Winnipeg Free Press), but it is definitely the work of an undisciplined mind. I did enjoy the parts about his close relationship with his severely disabled son, Ben.

However, I don't think you have to have any political or technical expertise to care about the environment.

 

[taxslave]

I reached the same conclusion. He does have a penchant for writing (which he comes by honestly; his dad was a sportswriter for the Winnipeg Free Press), but it is definitely the work of an undisciplined mind. I did enjoy the parts about his close relationship with his severely disabled son, Ben.

However, I don't think you have to have any political or technical expertise to care about the environment.

You don't have to have a lot of knowledge to care but you should have a fact or two behind you when making accusations. Especially if you are rich and famous and talking about eliminating other peoples jobs.

 

[Zipperfish]

You don't have to have a lot of knowledge to care but you should have a fact or two behind you when making accusations. Especially if you are rich and famous and talking about eliminating other peoples jobs.

Facts are moveable feasts. According to one person it's afact that teh oil sands are ruining the earth. According to another, they are cleaning up a contaminated site. Besides which idealogues tend to ignore facts anyway.

Jobs are important. But so is the environment. You need to strike a balance.

 

[taxslave]

Facts are moveable feasts. According to one person it's afact that teh oil sands are ruining the earth. According to another, they are cleaning up a contaminated site. Besides which idealogues tend to ignore facts anyway.

Jobs are important. But so is the environment. You need to strike a balance.

Facts are not moveable but they can be manipulated. Some rich dude that has left a far bigger carbon footprint getting rich than most of us ever will now telling everyone else they got to cut back does not cut it. The oil is just sitting there not doing anyone any good so we might as well make a buck or two while we can. OR we could eliminate all the social programs that oil pays for.

 

[Spade]

The issues are not "either/or".

The problem is not oil sands/tar sands development' it is the scale and pace of development and the lack ot environmental stewardship by industry and government. The unbridled development for immediate monetary gain is shortsighted in terms of climate change, atmospheric integrity, water quality, the wilderness, native communities, and wildlife.

If there were but a fraction of Canada's race for the quick buck, we would still be driving cars, heating our homes, and buying strawberries in December. It is disingenuous in the extreme to criticise those calling for slowing the pace of development with greater envitonmental oversight as being anti wealth, economic health, or hypocritical.

As a child on the Prairies, I listened to developers call for underground nuclear explosions to release the oil from what was then simply called the Tar Sands. The analogy to Hiroshimas is not entirely an exaggeration. Because the development is tucked away in the the boreal forest kilometres from "civilisation" we seem content to cry "onward!"

 

[BaalsTears]

How many jobs would development of this energy source create?

 

[petros]

How many jobs would development of this energy source create?

Over the course of the next generations? 100s of millions.

 

[BaalsTears]

Over the course of the next generations? 100s of millions.

In order to have dignity, and for the ideal of individual liberty to live in Canada, it will be necessary to access that energy source, transport it, process it, and deliver it to commercial and residential end users. The people of Canada deserve good paying jobs.

 

[Cliffy]

In order to have dignity, and for the ideal of individual liberty to live in Canada, it will be necessary to access that energy source, transport it, process it, and deliver it to commercial and residential end users. The people of Canada deserve good paying jobs.

Yup. Exporting it is short sighted. Refine it for domestic use only. We exported our forests and now the industry is in its death throws.

 

[Chev]

Never ceases to amaze me. These ‘celebrities’, (musicians, actors, game show hosts, sports figures, the first nations people, politicians), etc. that fight against the oilsands and development…!?!
Search ....... Things Made From Oil That We Use Daily
No one can tell me that the ‘celebrities’, first nations people, etc. don’t use any of these products. Gas, Oil, Clothes, shampoo, many things in vehicles (gas, oil, coolant, brake fluid etc), Items used in building your house.. ETC…
No one can tell me that these ‘celebrities’, first nations people, politicians, etc. Walk everywhere they go to do their protests.. Planes, trains, automobiles….


Spade "I have several.
"Spade; predictions for 2014; Prince Charles will not become Queen in 2014.”
tay said: “Are you sure about #2........”
I hope and pray he does not…..

 

[mentalfloss]

Yup. Exporting it is short sighted. Refine it for domestic use only. We exported our forests and now the industry is in its death throws.

Free trade man.

It's the only way!

 

[Walter]

Free trade man.

It's the only way!

I know you're (you're = you are NOT your = you are) being facetious but in your ignorance you are correct, the more we trade the richer we get. You should read Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations".


Notice facetious uses all vowel in alphabetical order.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

I know you're (you're = you are NOT your = you are) being facetious but in your ignorance you are correct, the more we trade the richer we get. You should read Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations".


Notice facetious uses all vowel in alphabetical order.

And "facetiously" adds the "y."

 

[pgs]

Yup. Exporting it is short sighted. Refine it for domestic use only. We exported our forests and now the industry is in its death throws.

I know there are no more trees in B.C. we cut them all down and left the forests a wasteland .

 

[captain morgan]

All that oil and still no per capita increase in wealth.

Too funny.

Here's a little excise for you that will answer that question for you.

Check out which cities in NorAm have company sanctioned Bentley dealerships... That knowledge will easily rebut your post.

... And if there is any confusion remaining, think 'Equalization' and that should pound the last nail in that coffin

The issues are not "either/or".

The problem is not oil sands/tar sands development' it is the scale and pace of development and the lack ot environmental stewardship by industry and government. The unbridled development for immediate monetary gain is shortsighted in terms of climate change, atmospheric integrity, water quality, the wilderness, native communities, and wildlife.

Exactly what is the definition of 'responsible development' ? I hear that term bandied about quite a bit, but no one seems capable of defining, in real terms, what it is.

By the by, the whole environmental stewardship thingy is a also a grossly misrepresented element. AEP & AEUB, in addition to a variety of other agencies, have successfully had legislation passed that demands the lands be reclaimed to a higher standard than before the oil was extracted.

Hell, before you go and make these broadbrush generalizations, you really should think about going up there and walking the actual ground of any pre-developed oilsands land... Any of those areas that have bitumen at or close to surface are the antithesis of the pristene fantasy land that people like Young believe them to be.

They charter a plane to fly over and can't see the true condition in which Mother Nature left this area.

That and their vision is heavily blurred from the tears streaming down their swollen cheeks at 15,000 feet

 

[Locutus]

Watch this.

Rex Murphy energy speech in Alberta, November 2013, - YouTube

 

[petros]

All that oil and still no per capita increase in wealth.

You can send my wealth back anytime.

 

[mentalfloss]

You can send my wealth back anytime.

You can keep it if the feds can get the other sectors up again.

 

[petros]

Yup. Exporting it is short sighted. Refine it for domestic use only. We exported our forests and now the industry is in its death throws.

I can build a refinery just down the block from you?

Green sh*t bit you in the as$. The Billions of trees planted in the 90s are almost ready to harvest will it be okay to do so or is it not green?

You can keep it if the feds can get the other sectors up again.

Feds couldn't open up a can of cocktail wieners let alone the job sector. It's Provincal Govts that need to get off their asses.

 

[Cliffy]

I can build a refinery just down the block from you?

Green sh*t bit you in the as$. The Billions of trees planted in the 90s are almost ready to harvest will it be okay to do so or is it not green?

Why don't they build refineries at the oil sands. The area has already been devastated.

Feds couldn't open up a can of cocktail wieners let alone the job sector. It's Provincal Govts that need to get off their asses.

I've planted trees in the 80s. There is about a 30 - 40% survival rate and less than 50% of the land mass that was logged has been replanted. That is not why the industry is dying. They have been cutting unsustainably since the 60s. The are cutting pecker poles in the interior and getting only 1 or 2 2X4s out of a tree and the lumber they are selling for construction is the same as what I used to buy as reject in the 70s for $40 a sling.

We export any good lumber we make as well as raw logs. Mills are shutting down and some idiots are blaming it on the Greens when in fact it is because of stupidity and greed.