No New Approvals for Tar Sands Developments
We are calling, with one voice, for the Alberta Government to take the first step for a cessation of new oil sands approvals and lease sales. The time is now to stop the uncontrolled oil sands development and deal with the environmental and social concerns that it has created.
Regardless of the reason, there is one thing we all agree on - the first step is to stop adding to the problem.No new approvals on oil sands development!
We are calling, with one voice, for the Alberta Government to take the first step for a cessation of new oil sands approvals and lease sales. The time is now to stop the uncontrolled oil sands development and deal with the environmental and social concerns that it has created.
Regardless of the reason, there is one thing we all agree on - the first step is to stop adding to the problem.No new approvals on oil sands development!
We, the undersigned, represent diverse interests and individual priorities to our concern about the future of Alberta. We represent {environmental, social, conservation, labour, health, treaty rights, forestry, land use, humanitarian, water and economic concerns}; but we are united in our concern about the impact that out-of-control development of the oil sands is having on all areas of the province.
We are calling, with one voice, for the Alberta Government to take the first step for a cessation of new oil sands approvals and lease sales. The time is now to stop the uncontrolled oil sands development and deal with the environmental and social concerns that it has created.
Regardless of the reason, there is one thing we all agree on - the first step is to stop adding to the problem.No new approvals on oil sands development!
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We are destroying the earth by drilling for oil
The blind, unbridled pursuit of developing the tar sands will only result in marginal increases in oil production that will not make a dent to Peak Oil anyway and will surely result in the wholesale destruction of the local environment of Alberta, Canada. Is all this worth a mere 6 to 12 month reprieve to the world's relentless, skyrocketing rate of oil consumption?
In the long run, the development of any combination of alternative fuels will not make much of a difference to the impending debacle of Peak Oil; it will only be of negligible impact and represents a monumental waste of time as well as untold billions of dollars in 'corporate welfare' to those companies involved.
What is the point of making all this money if we crash our climate and destroy our future? Oil sands development makes a mockery of our pledge to reduce emissions.
I currently live in Alberta and I personally hope that the current government does not believe that their recent election win means Albertans don't care about the environment. Some positive leadership and action on environmental issues from the Tories would be nice.
What is your reason for wanting no new approvals on oil/tar sands development? As per the recently oft noted quote - "we do not inherite the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
Stop tar sands projects now until the oil companies spend some of their enormous profits on cleaning up the processing, not leaving the mess for future taxpayers to deal with after the oil companies are long gone with their money.
Lets not be stupid to the last barrel.!!!!!
Because there are a lot better alternatives that I could name but will not as it would take to long.
Isn't it time we started doing something to impact our future in a positive way?
We are called to be stewards of our earth; that is to care for and protect like good parents, to act responsibily
Enough is enough. It is about time that we stopped big corporations from raping our land all for power and greed, with no consideration for future generations.
The Tar Sands are the worst environmental disaster this province has ever seen. The destrucion is a travisty and the industry is entirely unsustainable. It is time we do the right thing and slow- or even end this destrucion to our land. Please stop aproving new development!!
GIVE A CHANCE TO OUR MOTHER EARTH
TAR SANDS IS DEATH
I belong to Cowichan Action on Climate Change. We are very much aware that the Alberta tar sands are a huge contributor to greenhouse gases. For the sake of ourselves, our children, our grandchildren and future generations, please do not approve any new tar sands developments.
Please curtail this risky and spoiling endeavour! This is a place I want to be proud and secure enough to raise my children!
There has been far too much health repercussions of oil extraction in Alberta. The amount of energy to extract oil far exceeds the benefit in doing so. We can no longer think of short term rewards.
I live in Alberta, where I benefit in some ways from dirty money from dirty oil. However, our government is extremely short-sighted. Our economy has expanded too fast. Many Albertans, and the whole planet, will pay the price for the greed of a few.
Our environment is simply something that should not be allowed to be bought, for any price. We have no right to rape the land, leaving it scared and damaged for our own short term gain. It is the responsibility of government to speak no only for the people but for the land and all it’s creatures and to ensure we have something to pass forward to the next generation.
you are making more and more money off this and I'm seeing less and less each year.If you don't invite ev. to the party they complain about the noise RIGHT?
Not worth the damage.Even if it was it's still a bad idea,and we can make smarter money and more of it if we think independently of The current failing regime everyone knew this would get bad.Planet needs healing,not more damage.maybe if we had no sales tax in N.S....didn't think so.AXE THE PROGRAM.
Leave the tar in the ground, and conserve more
We have ONE world which must support us ALL. How would you explain THIS to your children?
What about the water.
pip line through the few remaining migration ways will lead to manys demise.
Alberta and Canada in general cannot keep making these decisions as if they have no affect on anyone else - the oil/tar sands affect everyone - this is a global issue and it is quite simply a disgrace that we continue to pollute this way and completely ignore the science -
The oil sands are not a sustainable energy path for our long-term well-being. Resources would be better devoted to renewable energy initiatives.
How can you do this to the earth? You're killing us all, please stop now!
As every Canadian should be, I am very concerned about our ability to manage our resources and quality of life. If we do not take environmental action now, impact may be irreversible. If we do not take action now, we will lose more control of our country to the USA. New oil sands mines should only be approved if companies can demonstrate that they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions below 3% (current levels) of Canada's current total emissions (as measured by an independent group such as Sierra Club or Pembina Institute)and return mined areas back to an acceptable state (as measured by the same independent group).
The Sierra Club has indicated that in 2000, the tar sands industry released 23.3 MT of GHG emissions (3% of Canada's total). By 2015, tar sands GHG emissions are expected to rise to between 57 and 97 MT which would make it the single largest contributor to GHG emissions growth in Canada. This would also virtually guarantee that Canada would fail to achieve its Kyoto Protocol targets. Pls review the article (by Pembina) at http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/OSF_Fact72.pdf for more surprising and disturbing details of the impact of tar sands mining ... and do the right thing for the future of Canada for Canadians. When our natural resources are used up (resulting in very high contributions of greenhouse gases), we will have lost a lot of respect from other contries and our children and their children.
I was born and raised in Alberta, and still consider Waterton Lakes National park my spiritual home. I am horrified by the environmental degradation taking place in my home province as a result of the oil/tar sands.
Do Albertans really want to be known as Canada's West Virginia, an area where irrevocable degradation has already happened?
There should be no new tar sand's approvals until water can be processed and returned in the same condition as it was drawn from the Athabasca River. It is inappropriate to be creating huge toxic waste lakes. It impacts wildlife and birds and leaves a terrible legacy for future generations. In addition, I am very concerned about the impact on the residents downriver from oil sands projects including contamination of wildlife and increased cancer rates in the residents. Please stop the oil sands expansion until these concerns can be appropriately addressed.
The Alberta government is spending $25 million on a propaganda campaign to promote the notion that tar sands oil is not "dirty oil." But it is dirty oil that is leaving a long-term legacy of environmental degradation. Meanwhile the large quantities of water required to extract it in the first place will deprive Albertans of drinking water and water for farming. Northeastern Alberta is being turned into a wasteland for the short-term profits of multi-national oil companies. Alberta should turn its attention to creating alternatives to fossil fuels, not to destroying large areas of the province and making our province a long-term basket case.
inappropriate decisions are being made for the WRONG reasons that will have lasting impact on our environment and quality of life. we do not behave as caretakers of this planet, custondians intending to leave something cared for to future generations. instead we are mortgaging their futures for out short term benefit. shame on us, and shame on the alberta government, and shame on the canadian government. simon good
development of the btar sands is profiting not so many people hugely at the expense of everyone else. it is not environmentally friendly, and the benefits in my mind, cannot justify the costs to all of us.
Canada needs to be a leader in responsible energy development and use of its resources. We need to be part of the global warming solution, not part of the problem.
The tar sands developments are growing faster than our ability to handle the environmental impact. Time to take a pause- the sands will still be there when we have learned to extract them more efficiently, and with less pollution- and the price of oil then will likely be even higher !
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Mahatma Gandhi
The cost to our environment for the oil sands is not worth any new development!
While Alberta is prospering financially at the moment as a result of the oil sands in Alberta, this is not sustainable. I do not want to see my children experience the horrors of a future depression in Alberta because of non-sustainable and wasteful extraction methods. Please be wise in your choices
Tar Sands development is toxic to the people of Alberta, and not only to Canadians but to people in the United States, especially those whose drinking water would be fouled in the event of an oil spill. The Keystone pipeline is being put much too close upslope to Lake Ashatabula and the Sheyenne River, so that an spill would get into the water supply for thousands of people, very possibly before we became aware of it.
There are better ways to solve our energy problems - starting with learning how to live with less.
The health of the planet and all humanity, not to mention all species, is tied up in respecting the limits. Any development needs to respect stringent environmental standards. The death of the birds is just an early symptom.
Oil sands development must be tied to the strictest environmental standards and the contamination that occurs must be cleaned-up and the land restored to a clean condition
The death of the birds is unacceptable>
tar sand Industry appears environmentally disastrous
Tar sands development as it is presently being done kills animals and people. Government of Alberta: stop dominating nature for your own benefit and start taking care! The land provides you with clean air, water, with forests that absorb carbon dioxide, with ecosystems that are part of our natural heritage, and you are simply destroying it!
So many groups have asked for a moratorium on tar sands development so that environmental assessments can be performed. Even industry has asked for this! The government is playing the role of dictator when it does not listen to the people.
Please act responsibly for the generations to come.
The absolute and total destruction of the earth around the tar sands area is a crime and those that approve and market it for their own personal gains should be punished to the full extent of the law. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a law against profiteering here in Canada so you guys are lucky and get off free.
I would like more respect for not only the land, but this country itself to prevail in the minds of these Americans. Maybe if any of our Canadian politicians had any balls they would tell them to get out, and take back our resources before we are completely raped of them as they have done to many other countries.
The environment is being irrevocably changed by oil/tar sands development.
The Tar Sands are an abomination that Mother Nature will never recover from and to continue raping the earth in this matter is morally corrupt. Further, man is capable of finding other sources of energy than oil and we should be working hard to produce them.
I cannot stand to see the aerial photos of the huge ruined swaths of our native land causing the pollution of our amazing waterways, etc. Is there no end to man's greed? Furthermore, any "thinking" Canadian agrees that it is obscene to think(and know) that most of the oil production goes to the U.S. and not for our country's own energy needs!!If we don't take care of No. 1 (our country), no one else will and the U.S. has its own problems, of its own making. Stephen Harper, you and your government have not shown Canada that you care about the interests closest to our hearts. Do you even know what these interests are??The next election will tell the tale!
The Government has fooled the Canadian Voters to think they will take care of our Clean enviroment
Toxic Ponds are draining into the Athabasca river and they don,t care! As A mater of fact the corp rats tell there employees Not to tell any body. A river and lakes have been destroyed already
further development= further destruction of habitat and more pollution of water, our most vital resourse.
We can't wait until we have cut down every tree, poisoned every body of water and killed all our oceans and wildlife. Each individual's small action will gather momentum and become a great movement and we will be heard.
We need to stop trying to prop up an outdated and dying oil-based economy
This should NOT happen. It will not only ravage our beautiful landscape, but it will allow people to live healthy and prosperous lives at the expense of the lives of others. This should NOT happen.
Oil means money, and money is over-rated. If we would all just share what we have instead of digging and digging into the Earth for more oil, lives would truly change and our world would actually have the chance to be a better place.
