Category Archives: Oil Sands

The Oil Sands Wedge: Could The Next Federal Election Be A Fight Over Dutch Disease?

Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin

Spencer Keys April 9, 2012 February’s spat between Premiers McGuinty and Redford, about whether the oil sands have contributed positively or negatively to Ontario’s economy, has given national prominence to the spectre of Dutch Disease in Canada. The story is … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil Sands | 3 Comments

Canada’s Third Great Pipeline Debate: The Political Landscape as the Northern Gateway Pipeline Hearings Start

Posted on January 10, 2012 by admin

George Hoberg and Andrea Rivers January 10, 2012 As hearing finally start today on the Northern Gateway pipeline from the oil sands to coastal British Columbia, politics on all sides of the dispute have been escalating. The Joint Review Panel … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Pipelines, Oil Sands | 3 Comments

The Constitutional Threat to the California Effect: A Court Strikes Down California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Posted on December 31, 2011 by admin

George Hoberg December 31, 2011 This week a federal district court in California declared the California low carbon fuel standard unconstitutional for its violation of the interstate commerce clause. The grounds for the decision are revealing about the tensions of … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Action Policy, Oil Sands | Leave a comment

Pressure Rising on Both Sides of Northern Gateway Oil Sands Pipeline: December 2011 Update

Posted on December 6, 2011 by admin

George Hoberg and Andrea Rivers December 6, 2011 (last updated December 8, 2011) [Due to rapidly developing events we've decided to keep this post a living document with frequent updates. Updates from original text will be in italics.] Since US … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Pipelines, Oil Sands | 1 Comment

New Research: How the Government of Alberta and the Oil Sands Industry Have Thwarted More Effective Regulation

Posted on November 29, 2011 by admin

George Hoberg November 29, 2011 A new article in the Canadian Journal of Political Science describes the strategies used by the Government of Alberta and the oil sands industry to deflect pressure for more rigorous environmental regulation of the oil … Continue reading →

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Insights into Obama’s Keystone XL decision from the energy policy wonkosphere

Posted on November 11, 2011 by admin

George Hoberg November 11, 2011 Yesterday the Obama administration shook the foundations of the energy sector by calling for further review of the Keystone XL pipeline and putting off a decision until 2013. The decision left the Canadian oil establishment … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Action Policy, Energy Pipelines, Oil Sands | Leave a comment

Foreign influence on Canadian energy and environmental policy: A request for some balance

Posted on November 9, 2011 by admin

George Hoberg November 9, 2011 Over the past several months, there has been increasing attention in the media on the role of US foundation funding of groups active in the Canadian environmental movement, including those involving the oil sands and … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil Sands | 8 Comments

The Oil Sands and Canadian Identity – a Starter List

Posted on October 12, 2011 by admin

George Hoberg and Andrea Rivers October 13, 2011 I’m preparing to give a talk on “The Oil Sands: Canada’s Defining Dilemma,” wading into a type of analysis that is a bit different. Andrea and I have been collecting quotes as … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil Sands | 3 Comments

Canada’s West Coast Oil Sands Pipeline Controversy: An Update

Posted on September 23, 2011 by admin

Andrea Rivers and George Hoberg September 23, 2011 While controversy over the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline to the US has been capturing headlines across North America, a similar controversy is simmering in Western Canada. Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline proposal … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil Sands | 1 Comment

Framing Strategies in Environmental Controversies: A Case Study of the Tar Sands vs. Ethical Oil

Posted on April 8, 2011 by admin

George Hoberg and Andrea Rivers April 9, 2011 Environmental controversies seem to follow regular and predictable patterns of rhetorical conflict, but we are not aware of any resources that characterize or conceptualize the nature of these argumentative strategies. Sociologists and … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil Sands | 2 Comments