Neil Young blasts Harper government for allowing development of Alberta oilsands
- Thread starter mentalfloss
- Start date
Yes, it does remind me of those times. I'd just moved to BC back then. There were a lot of the same kind of arguments--celebrities adn roaylty coming up to fly over the "moonscape" of Vacnouver Island. Cries of hypocricy from the industry because everyone uses wood and because the celebrities weren't thinking about the workers that had to feed their families when they danced into town.
But ultimately, the forest industry in BC had to respond and change.
I see a similar situation now. The fact is that the industry is running into a lot of resistance--not just from celebrities, but in terms of real money--trying to move their products or their projects.
And for all the criticism of Neil Young, it's not much different then the petroleum industry commercials full of green fields and bubbling voiceovers.
.The ads with the greenpeace people raving about how successful the reclamation is?zipper said:
I have no problem with anyone expressing an opinion on any topic... my problem with this was that the mere fact he was Neil Young was deemed by the media to give him credence for some special expertise on the topic, which he decidedly does not have.
My sense of matter in general that entertainers are the least reliable of all commentators on social issues. They usually parrot the most conventional and superficial and least original of views.. with an eye to conforming to a specific market franchise, and of the lowest common denominator.
My point is the being a successful artist provides no special insight, and certainly not the moral high ground on complex issues related to economic development and environmental responsibiliy. Their appeal is invariably aimed at the emotional gut rather than a critical evaluation of tradeoffs of these issues.
Last edited:
True enough. God doesn't necessarily hand out wisdom with talent. But in our society celebrity seems to fill the void that royalty used to, and the unwashed masses ascribe great importance to the their pronouncements. That said, I find the green fields commercials put forth by the petroleum industry to be equally as vacuous.
The question is who has the authority to speak on the oil sands. And the answer is everyone, even though most people have no clue at all about them. That's the nature of democarcy--what did Winston Churchill say--the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.
There is no appeal to authority anymore, no trsuted voice left. Downside of living in such a zealously egalitarian society--everybody's opinion is equal.
Alberta to look like the moon confirmed.
Neil Young: Alberta will 'look like the moon' unless oilsands development stopped
Rock legend Neil Young continued his campaign against the Alberta oilsands Thursday, saying he hopes to use his celebrity to bring more attention to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation community and their fight against the oil industry.
“We can preserve what we have so we can say, ‘We did the right thing.’ If we don’t it’s just going to look like the moon in Alberta,” Young said.
“It is like a war zone, a disaster area from war, what’s happened up there. It’s gone,” he added.
During the conference, which was moderated by David Suzuki, Young also criticized the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, telling reporters that he does not ”feel really good” about the project and the idea that oil produced from Canadian oilsands would be sent to China -- a country he called one of the biggest polluters in the world.
Young’s “Honour the Treaties” tour, which kicked off in Toronto on Sunday, looks to benefit the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and their legal fight against the development of an oilsands mine near their community.
Last month, the Canadian government approved an expansion project with Shell that aimed to double oilsands production to nearly 300,000 barrels a day.
Activists and members of the First Nation community say the planned expansions will cause widespread damage to local land, water and wildlife near the Jackpine mine site and violate treaty and environmental laws.
On their website, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations group says it has launched “multiple legal motions” against both the Canadian government and the oil industry in order to protect Alberta’s Athabasca region.
On Sunday, Young accused the government of “trading integrity for money” when it came to Alberta’s oil sands and said the rapid expansion of mines was “killing” First Nations people.
“The blood of these people will be on modern Canada’s hands,” Young said.
“We will thank the First Nation for stopping this, if they’re able to stop it, because in 20 years from now or 30 years from now, we’ll be able to look at all of the areas we saved and they’ll still be here,” Young said Thursday.
Neil Young: Alberta will 'look like the moon' unless oilsands development stopped | CTV News
Neil Young: Alberta will 'look like the moon' unless oilsands development stopped
Rock legend Neil Young continued his campaign against the Alberta oilsands Thursday, saying he hopes to use his celebrity to bring more attention to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation community and their fight against the oil industry.
“We can preserve what we have so we can say, ‘We did the right thing.’ If we don’t it’s just going to look like the moon in Alberta,” Young said.
“It is like a war zone, a disaster area from war, what’s happened up there. It’s gone,” he added.
During the conference, which was moderated by David Suzuki, Young also criticized the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, telling reporters that he does not ”feel really good” about the project and the idea that oil produced from Canadian oilsands would be sent to China -- a country he called one of the biggest polluters in the world.
Young’s “Honour the Treaties” tour, which kicked off in Toronto on Sunday, looks to benefit the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and their legal fight against the development of an oilsands mine near their community.
Last month, the Canadian government approved an expansion project with Shell that aimed to double oilsands production to nearly 300,000 barrels a day.
Activists and members of the First Nation community say the planned expansions will cause widespread damage to local land, water and wildlife near the Jackpine mine site and violate treaty and environmental laws.
On their website, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations group says it has launched “multiple legal motions” against both the Canadian government and the oil industry in order to protect Alberta’s Athabasca region.
On Sunday, Young accused the government of “trading integrity for money” when it came to Alberta’s oil sands and said the rapid expansion of mines was “killing” First Nations people.
“The blood of these people will be on modern Canada’s hands,” Young said.
“We will thank the First Nation for stopping this, if they’re able to stop it, because in 20 years from now or 30 years from now, we’ll be able to look at all of the areas we saved and they’ll still be here,” Young said Thursday.
Neil Young: Alberta will 'look like the moon' unless oilsands development stopped | CTV News
If you ever fly a low altitude plane in Ontario you'll find plenty of open pit mines...just look at photos of detour lake mines and you will see moonscape, but after they are finished with digging you might see is a lake.
Abandoned Canadian Open-Pit Mine Could Be Turned Into 400 Megawatt Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building
Abandoned Canadian Open-Pit Mine Could Be Turned Into 400 Megawatt Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building
He can afford to have his views- he can afford a number of things- meanwhile we are a country that has resources for export. And they provide jobs.
They put food on the table, pay taxes that cover a multitude of things we want.
Myself I wonder why a singer gets such news. Really a non story- from a non expert.
Because he well may be right.
Jobs before environmental stewardship, anywhere in the world including Alberta, is troubling.
Bump
To me he is not an expert- The resources will come out of the ground. Do we need better controls yes.
I will go with experts and asses the risk from there, as there will always be risk. But may be right Neil is in my opinion a non story. No different than an actor or sports figure.
You (Neil)can spout all you want when you do not want. And Neil is not wanting, is he?
Because he is a celebrity does not make him wrong. Neither should this perspective be silenced nor dismissed.
True, I never stated he should be silenced. I do not have to give his opinion any weight. Old, rich and lacking in needs.
Lessons to be learnt from America.
Chris Hedges Sits Down With Bill Moyers - YouTube
And, its not just the environmentally sensitive or the celebrity that agree with Neil Young. In fact, 77% of respondents to an Edmonton Journal poll agree.
Chris Hedges Sits Down With Bill Moyers - YouTube
And, its not just the environmentally sensitive or the celebrity that agree with Neil Young. In fact, 77% of respondents to an Edmonton Journal poll agree.
Why are first nations directly across the border in SK prospering?
Reclamation laws are tight but people seem to think they don't exist.
These people don't live off the land other than being well paid by oil companies and now Neil.
Who wouldn't jump on the easy money band wagon?
Reclamation laws are tight but people seem to think they don't exist.
These people don't live off the land other than being well paid by oil companies and now Neil.
Who wouldn't jump on the easy money band wagon?
Last edited:
Does the reality sting so badly that you have to use that comment as your perpetual backstop
So says the expert... Maybe in a few years when his dementia is even more severe, the hue and cry will be:
Nor does it make him right
C'mon....he's got a point on some levels...
Petropolis - Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands (condensed) on Vimeo
Petropolis - Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands (condensed) on Vimeo
70% oil the oil will be insitu extraction. Mining is nearing it's end ON SCALE.
Reclamation improves the ecosystem. Fire management f-cked the boreal up. They are a mess with fuel that should have been burned decades ago. They are hard for wildlife to manuever in let alone prosper.
It's easy to criticize from thousands of kilometers away only seeing the mining and knowing nothing of the Athabasca region.
I'm greatful nobody has a clue about the world's largest nuclear industry just east of the oil sands.
All that lead and no concerns.
Reclamation improves the ecosystem. Fire management f-cked the boreal up. They are a mess with fuel that should have been burned decades ago. They are hard for wildlife to manuever in let alone prosper.
It's easy to criticize from thousands of kilometers away only seeing the mining and knowing nothing of the Athabasca region.
I'm greatful nobody has a clue about the world's largest nuclear industry just east of the oil sands.
All that lead and no concerns.
He plainly stated in Winnipeg today that his role was to use his celebrity to highlight the issue, that he was not by any means an expert and that the other folks on stage were much more well versed on the subject.
Frankly I am surprised by the number of folks posting here along the lines of defending the industry considering what they take for what they give.
Young may be an expert in the entertainment industry! What are his credentials when it comes to oil apart from the fact he is a very active user. How do we know he doesn't have an ulterior motive in the matter? For myself I'd be willing to listen to his 30 second opinion and let it go at that.
Who cares--even if he were an expert, it souldn't make any difference. It's esstnially a political issue, so whetehr ypu're left or right is what matters, not how much you actually know about the subject.