Canadian oil field looks way nicer than Azerbaijan's oil field

Looking at Edward Burtynsky's new photographs here, I feel proud that Fort McMUrray, Alberta has the cleanest and neatest looking oil fields, when compared to Belridge, California and Baku, Azerbaijan!  See for yourself below: Fort McMurray does not have the ugly poles sticking out all over the landscape like Azerbaijan. 

Canadians should be more protective of the superior aesthetics of their oil fields.  As Kathryn Marshall wrote, "foreign billionaires don't care".  Given the new analysis that more than 67% of Canada's oil sands ownership and profits are foreign-based, (as pointed out in my January post) Canadians cannot trust these foreign billionaires to maintain the neat appearance of our oil fields. 

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More -- and faster -- power for ministers, crackdown on charities? Needed: A Freedom Train!

So the rules are being changed and the federal environmental review process is being shortened to 'speed up' projects delayed by the due diligence obligated by the review.  


The concentration of powers is alarming.  A cursory reading of a news article describing the new budgetary changes evokes the image of a dictator seeking to 'fast-track' discretionary powers and authority while the apathetic public looks the other way.  Some examples: 

• "...the environment minister is given more power to decide which resource developments should be subjected to scrutiny... budget bill gives federal cabinet the final say over oil and gas pipelines... overhauls the Fisheries Act to focus only on major waterways, not every single body of water..."
• "...the minister of environment has greater leeway to give industry players exemptions and extensions of their permits... And it cracks down on charities involved in political activity..."
• "...[Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said] "These are quite important long-term changes... We need to get them done quickly..."

So the government is cracking down on charities and giving more discretionary powers to the cabinet and the ministers -- as fast as possible?  That sounds like the perfect recipe for a healthy democracy, doesn't it?


What is the rush?


Is our government rushing to seize authoritarian, dictatorial powers?  The Canadian democracy might just need the Freedom Train 2012 with the Yinka Dene Alliance ironically showing the democratic way to the children of democracy.  


Welcome them in Toronto on the lawn of Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto on 9th May at 11:45am. 

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