Like the concept of clean coal, there is no such thing as Ethical Oil. We're completely aware of the damage it does when it's spilled into the environment. We're aware of the damage emissions do to the atmosphere when it's burned in vehicles. We're aware of the damage emissions do to human health. Knowing what we know about the damage that the use of oil does, how can you call it ethical to keep using it?
From her article:
The ads juxtapose grim visuals of the outcome of conflict oil next to cheery photos from Canada's ethical oil.
One ad shows two men with nooses around their necks as they prepare to be hanged for the "crime" of being homosexuals in some Middle Eastern country with the word "persecution" running across the photo on a red banner. Next to it, the arms of two men holding hands with rainbow bracelets and the word "pride" running across the image on a green background.
So, because Canada is more accepting of homosexuals, we should use Canadian oil? That's a ridiculous and completely illogical assertion.
Another shows a distraught woman in a hijab buried up to her waist with a message that reads, "Conflict oil countries: Women stoned to death," contrasted next to a smiling photo of Melissa Blake, mayor of Wood Buffalo, Canada's geographically largest municipality, with the words: "Canada's oilsands: Woman elected mayor."
So, if we stop using oil from the Middle East, they'll stop stoning their women to death? Unless you're trying to say that unless we use Canadian oil, more women will be stoned to death in the Middle East, this is another completely illogical assertion. Whether we use Canadian oil or Saudi oil, women will still be stoned to death in the Middle East. Where the oil we use comes from has absolutely zero impact on that. These ads are nothing more than an appeal to emotions.
"When they're thinking about the oilsands, they shouldn't be comparing the oilsands against some magical, plentiful, renewable, clean fuel that doesn't exist because at the end of the day when you fill up your gas tank, you're filling it up with an oil product," Velshi says.
So we should keep using oil because that's what we use? Sorry, that's another illogical assertion.
We need to fund alternatives so we can stop using oil.
"When you look at it from that perspective, it's either ethical oil from Canada and its oilsands and other liberal democracies like the U.S. and Great Britain, or conflict oil from politically oppressive, environmentally reckless countries."
So our choices are oil or oil? There are other options out there, but it doesn't surprise me that you're so myopic you can't see them, considering you're (Alykhan Velshi) the one behind the absurd ads that helped the Conservatives win a majority.
Put another way, if you're a woman looking for a mate, it's not very useful to compare every guy you meet to Superman, because Superman doesn't exist. It would be nice if he did, but you'll never get anywhere relationship-wise if you keep waiting around for that perfect, fictional character to fly into your life and sweep you off your feet.
Do you seriously believe that alternatives don't exist?
Indeed, the oilsands employs a lot more than aboriginals and is expected to increase employment almost exponentially over the years.
Creating jobs is a good thing, and we all know Canada could use more jobs. But do you know what will create even more jobs? Creating infrastructure for solar or wind power. Electric cars have a sufficient range for 90% of the population. The only thing keeping people from using them is scare tactics from oil corporations.
And while the oilsands produce only about five per cent of Canada's total greenhouse gases - or 0.1 per cent of the world's GHG emissions...
That's a nice little statistic that trivializes the impact the oil sands project has on local wildlife and local water sources.
The Alberta oil sands project will produce a maximum of 3 million barrels per day, but not until 2018. Canada consumes 2,151,000 barrels of oil per day, (Nationmaster.com) so the oil from the oil sands project would be enough oil for Canada's needs. The only problem with that is that most of the oil from the oil sands is being pipelined to the US, which uses 18,690,000 barrels of oil per day. (Approximately 6,000,000 barrels per day are produced domestically). The maximum amount of oil produced from the oil sands wouldn't even make a dent in America's oil use. They would still need to import 9,000,000 barrels of oil a day from the Middle East. So much for Ethical Oil.
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