Elevated levels of toxins found in Athabasca River
Josh Wingrove, Globe and Mail, August 30, 2010
Finding refutes long-standing claims that water quality hasn’t been affected by oil sands development
How the Tar Sands Threaten Canada's Economic Fate
By Andrew Nikiforuk, TheTyee.ca, August 13, 2010
A short course in Dutch Disease, deindustrialization and the Bitumen Curse.
Every week Canada's least favorite Emir, Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, earnestly lectures Canadians that the mighty tar sands are a boon to the national economy because "Alberta's engine drives Canada."
Pipeline would ship oil and jobs south
Dave Coles, Toronto Star, August 8, 2010
An unlikely coalition of Calgary oil workers, Nebraska farmers, Michigan mothers, Greenpeace shock troops and a powerful U.S. congressman have a chance to achieve what many thought impossible — bring a Canada-U.S. oil pipeline project to a screeching halt.
Michigan Oil Spill Increases Concern Over Tar Sands Pipelines
by Kari Lydersen, onearth.org, NRDC, August 6, 2010
Extensive damage to Michigan waterways shows the risk of transporting tar sands oil
Up to a million gallons of oil spilled from a ruptured pipeline into the waterways of southwestern Michigan last week in what the federal government is calling the most destructive oil spill in Midwestern history.
Greenpeace publicity stunt on Calgary Tower leads to eight arrests
By Kelly Cryderman and Sherri Zickefoose, Calgary Herald, August 3, 2010
CALGARY - Dozens of police and firefighters were on the scene at the Calgary Tower Tuesday morning, where Greenpeace activists in full climbing gear unfurled a huge banner protesting what they say is a "cozy" relationship between big oil and the federal and provincial governments.
Federal MPs cancel oilsands pollution probe, destroy report
By Mike De Souza, Vancouver Sun, July 7, 2010
Federal politicians from the government and opposition benches have mysteriously cancelled an 18-month investigation into oilsands pollution in water and opted to destroy draft copies of their report, Canwest News Service has learned.
Pipeline leak deals blow to Canada's oil sands industry
By Bernard Simon, Financial Times, UK, July 29, 2010
Canada's oil sands industry was trying to defuse a fresh public relations headache on Thursday after a ruptured pipeline spilled about 4m litres of Alberta crude into waterways in southern Michigan.
Vampire Blues: Suckin' Blood From the Earth
Chris Genovali, Huffington Post, July 20, 2010
I'm a vampire, babe,
suckin' blood
from the earth
I'm a vampire, baby,
suckin' blood
from the earth.
Well, I'm a vampire, babe,
sell you
twenty barrels worth.
As U.S. awakens, Canada hits snooze on oil addiction
By Antonia Zerbisias, The Star, July 16, 2010
A report to Parliament on the Alberta Oil sands is, literally, being shredded
Denial, they say, is not just a river in Egypt.
According to environmentalists, it’s also the Athabasca in Alberta.
Andrew Nikiforuk Is Tyee's First Writer in Residence
by David Beers, TheTyee.ca, July 15, 2010
![]() Nikiforuk: 'Startling ideas and stories.' |
An interview with the expert tar sands journalist who will be writing here about 'Energy and Equity.'
Andrew Nikiforuk says we have only ourselves to blame for bird flu, mad cow disease and a host of other diseases.
What Those Who Killed the Tar Sands Report Don't Want You to Know
by Andrew Nikiforuk, the Tyee.ca, July 15, 2010
Why did a parliamentary committee suddenly destroy drafts of a final report on tar sands pollution? Here's what they knew.
Devon Energy shuts down oil sands wells after bitumen-laced steam leak
Nathan VanderKlippe, Globe and Mail Update, Jul. 12, 2010
Failure at one of the company’s wellheads sent a plume of high-temperature steam into the air for nearly 36 hours last weekend
Alberta pays to deliver oilsands message
By Sarah O’Donnell, Edmonton Journal, July 3, 2010
Province buys half-page ad after premier's letter rejected
EDMONTON — Alberta's premier delivered his pro-oilsands message to a Washington Post audience Friday morning through a $55,800 Cdn half-page ad in the paper, instead of an opinion piece as originally intended.
Alberta welcomes more Chinese oil sands investment, Stelmach says
By Aileen McCabe, Canwest News Asia Correspondent, Calgary Herald, May 18, 2010
Premier says China clearly on radar for Canada's energy sector
BEIJING — When Premier Ed Stelmach said in Shanghai this week, "our doors are open," it was a clear invitation for more Chinese investment in Alberta's oilsands.
Alberta picks North West Upgrading for processing bitumen received from producers
By Dan Healing and Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald, May 19, 2010
CALGARY - The Alberta government has chosen Calgary-based North West Upgrading Inc. to refine the heavy, sticky oilsands product it will receive in place of cash through its bitumen-royalty-in-kind initiative.
China's reach into Alberta oilsands signifies resource's vital role
By Deborah Yedlin, Calgary Herald, May 14, 2010
CALGARY - In the days following the initial public offering of Athabasca Oil Sands, the chatter at the many fundraising events around town centred on which company would be next to do a deal with a Chinese entity — whether an operating oil and gas concern or with a sovereign wealth fund. The consensus view was when, not if.
China pumps more investment into Alberta oilsands
JASON FEKETE, Calgary Herald, May 13, 2010
CALGARY — China is bolstering its stake in Alberta's oilsands, just as Premier Ed Stelmach jets to Asia to improve relations with the communist country that's increasingly eyeing the province's bitumen bounty and the shifting geopolitics of energy.
Tar sands takeaway pipelines 2010
Arthur Caldicott, May 3, 2010
Pipeline capacity out of the tar sands is right on track to meet bitumen production forecasts - and it's virtually all into the continental US.
Premier to companies: 'Get more aggressive' eliminating tailings ponds

By Jason Fekete And Lisa Schmidt, Calgary Herald, April 23, 2010
Avatar director Cameron urged to visit sites
Oil Sands Newest PR Push Doomed to Fail -- Again
James Hoggan, The Huffington Post, April 22, 2010
The recently launched Astroturf platform AlbertaIsEnergy.ca is yet another faulty step by the captains of the Alberta oil and gas industry – people more interested in ill-advised public relations campaigns than in coming to grips with the challenges facing their industry.
Athabasca Oil Sands tanks
Andrew Willis, Globe and Mail, April 8, 2010
Athabasca Oil Sands debut on public markets Thursday was a disaster, with the much-hyped energy company IPO selling off sharply in its first day of trading.
Ottawa puts up barrier to Sinopec bitumen exports
Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail, Apr. 14, 2010
Ottawa says it will use its regulatory power to stop Chinese state-controlled Sinopec from exporting raw oil sands bitumen and refining it abroad to take advantage of looser climate-change rules.
Greens launch NAFTA action on oil sands
Globe and Mail, April 14, 2010
Environmental groups launched a complaint against Canada under the North American free-trade agreement on Wednesday, saying the country has failed to enforce anti-pollution rules governing its vast oil sands.
Athabasca IPO could hit oilsands record
By Dan Healing, Calgary Herald, March 20, 2010
Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. will go public in one of the highest-priced initial public offering in oilsands history, according to pricing released after markets closed Tuesday.






























