[bencole]

Good article:

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinio ... 73877.html

When a nation cannot safeguard its citizens against freezing in the dark, nor control how much energy it exports, nor set the price at which citizens can buy back their own energy from foreign transnational corporations, it is not an energy superpower, it is an energy satellite.

Canada has deliberately chosen not to put the essential interests of its own people above the interests of the U.S.

If Canada were not enmeshed in NAFTA, it would be self-sufficient in oil,

I personally think it's time for a federally mandated national energy policy in Canada, beginning with the nationalization of the strategic tar sands resource.

[bencole]

http://aspocanada.ca/dirty-oil-albertas ... ained.html

From aspocanada.ca, a good site, not updated frequently enough though.

[Maddog78]

Another socialist columnist with her nose up the Arts major, Laxer's butt.
Canada would be Venezuela if Laxer had his way.

[pedalling_faster]

the Canada & US are probably stronger together, than separately.

US has the military Canada would need to follow through on the claims they've already asserted to Arctic oil.

Canada has the resources.

makes for a natural dovetailing, and Harper and his predecessor Paul Martin all behave as if Canada were an American state. probably more obedient to the US than states that are preparing for secession, such as Vermont or New Hampshire.

[bencole]

Another socialist columnist with her nose up the Arts major, Laxer's butt.
Canada would be Venezuela if Laxer had his way.

I respect Gordon Laxar's views, he is also a respected and published professor at the University of Alberta, http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/sociology/laxer.cfm

And I take it that he is also anti-globalization, which wins him even more points I think.

Venezuela has recognized the fact that oil is a critical strategic resource in the light of peak oil, and have nationalized the resource as the only sane thing to due for the future of their country. They have one up on Canada in that regard.

[bencole]

the Canada & US are probably stronger together, than separately.

Agreed. But one has to wonder why the US already has a national energy policy in place while
Canada does not. The USA has the Dept. of energy, the strategic petroleum reserve etc. Why is it so impossible for the Canadian government to even draft a single document concern how it is planning to prevent it citizens from potentially freezing in the dark?

The answer, I think is because the US gov is not afraid to admit that oil is a critical strategic resource, while the Canadian gov, is terrified to.

US has the military Canada would need to follow through on the claims they've already asserted to Arctic oil.

True, Canada would only function as a puppet state in aquiring those resources, in reality they are bound for the USA.

Canada has the resources.
makes for a natural dovetailing, and Harper and his predecessor Paul Martin all behave as if Canada were an American state.

Yes they are essentially correct. Canada is a de facto US state because of our resource export to the USA based economy,

probably more obedient to the US than states that are preparing for secession, such as Vermont or New Hampshire.

Expect a quick, harsh and brutal response from the US federal Gov. in the event of any attempt at secession by a US state.

[Maddog78]

Another socialist columnist with her nose up the Arts major, Laxer's butt.
Canada would be Venezuela if Laxer had his way.

I respect Gordon Laxar's views, he is also a respected and published professor at the University of Alberta, http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/sociology/laxer.cfm

And I take it that he is also anti-globalization, which wins him even more points I think.

Venezuela has recognized the fact that oil is a critical strategic resource in the light of peak oil, and have nationalized the resource as the only sane thing to due for the future of their country. They have one up on Canada in that regard.

Respected? Bwahaaha, depends who you ask. The Parkland Institute is a well known in Alberta as a hotbed of Socialist dogma. I went to U of A. Engineering faculty though. Very telling that the P.I. is based in the Arts Faculty. Just who you want to be developing ideas on your Economic and Energy policies, a bunch of socialist Arts Majors. You won't find many in the Eng. faculty who have much good to say about them.

[bencole]

The Parkland Institute is a well known in Alberta as a hotbed of Socialist dogma.

In Alberta, even Petro-can's corporate headquaters was considered a hotbed of socialist dogma.

I went to U of A. Engineering faculty though.

Good job!

Very telling that the P.I. is based in the Arts Faculty.

My education is in physics, but I still have respect for the arts faculty of any Canadian University.
They set very high standards for their work.

Just who you want to be developing ideas on your Economic and Energy policies, a bunch of socialist Arts Majors.

It's preferable to Exxonmobil and Chevron setting Canada's energy policies.

You won't find many in the Eng. faculty who have much good to say about them.

Well, to be fair, engineers do tend to form their own clique on campuses just like other majors. I have personally witnessed some engineering and science students being irrationally critical of other fields of study, without taking the time to actually read the published papers themselves.