Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Neil Young blasts the Alberta government about the Oilsands

OldDutch · 01-22-2014, 07:46 PM

I have been looking for this thread in the Off Topic main thread, but just found it here. I was wondering why no one was discussing this, so now I am glad to find it!

Anyways, my thoughts.

1. Neil is not doing this for fame, or to re-invent himself. I think that is the Sun News cop out to attack the man, and not his message. It has be documented that he's driven his electric car up to Ft. McMurray with Darryl Hannah to do a documentary years ago. This is nothing new for him.

2. His message as it comes to the environment is just wrong and is perverted truth, plain and simple. Oil Sands is cleaner than coal by quite a margin on CO2 emissions. Coal is what they are burning in China that is causing all the dirty air, not oil direct from the sands. In fact, if they were to stop all coal and start burning oil their CO2 levels would drop.

3. Oil Sands are of generally two types Open Pit and SAGD. I will disclose that I work for a SAGD company and have been to site numerous times. It looks nothing like a bomb site. In fact small pad areas are cut, the oil is extracted using water, and when the pad is done they grow trees right back on top, you would never know anyone is there. Open Pit does disturb the ground much more, but I think the last stat I saw was .02% of Alberta forest is currently disturbed by all Oil Sands, so the footprint overall is very small.

4. He is claiming to champion native treaty rights, but has turned the conversation to environment. What is it? Is it the natives are getting a raw deal? They want zero development? They want some development? No one is asking about this, instead his rhetoric is environment, so people are countering with his 5 tour buses spewing exhaust. No one is even talking about the very people he is supposed to be helping.

5. US Big Oil and the US Government is more indirectly involved in this than you know. I am not saying Neil now works directly for the man. I am saying he is a pawn. Right now US has a cheap and steady supply of Canadian Oil because we can only ship to Chicago to refine. Keystone and N.Gateway would help us sell to other markets, thus weakening the refiners and US control on our product. So what do you think the US is gonna do...let it happen, or donate to a bunch of Environmental groups to proxy block and upset anything that will strengthen Canada. It is a no brainer that a country that disposes of all competition all over the world wouldn't do this because it is so simple, just donate money and let the hippies block everything and keep status quo. So the band leader accepted $50K from Tides, I would love to see who donates to Tides, follow the money.

6. The dirtiest oil in the world is in Neil's backyard California. No protest there, ever. Strange hunh?

7. The less Oil from Canada is more from dictatorships. Save a tree, oppress another person that is you cold hard reality.

I know some of this may come of a bit conspiracy theory but honestly after what I have seen, it is my opinion of what is happening. We need to realize that Neil is a good talented musician who is a legend, he just happens to be not to bright on this subject but his fame allows for instant credibility and air time. It also makes him the perfect pawn for those who don't want to upset the status quo.

01-22-2014, 07:46 PM	#98
OldDutch #1 Goaltender Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: North of the River, South of the Bluff Exp:	I have been looking for this thread in the Off Topic main thread, but just found it here. I was wondering why no one was discussing this, so now I am glad to find it! Anyways, my thoughts. 1. Neil is not doing this for fame, or to re-invent himself. I think that is the Sun News cop out to attack the man, and not his message. It has be documented that he's driven his electric car up to Ft. McMurray with Darryl Hannah to do a documentary years ago. This is nothing new for him. 2. His message as it comes to the environment is just wrong and is perverted truth, plain and simple. Oil Sands is cleaner than coal by quite a margin on CO2 emissions. Coal is what they are burning in China that is causing all the dirty air, not oil direct from the sands. In fact, if they were to stop all coal and start burning oil their CO2 levels would drop. 3. Oil Sands are of generally two types Open Pit and SAGD. I will disclose that I work for a SAGD company and have been to site numerous times. It looks nothing like a bomb site. In fact small pad areas are cut, the oil is extracted using water, and when the pad is done they grow trees right back on top, you would never know anyone is there. Open Pit does disturb the ground much more, but I think the last stat I saw was .02% of Alberta forest is currently disturbed by all Oil Sands, so the footprint overall is very small. 4. He is claiming to champion native treaty rights, but has turned the conversation to environment. What is it? Is it the natives are getting a raw deal? They want zero development? They want some development? No one is asking about this, instead his rhetoric is environment, so people are countering with his 5 tour buses spewing exhaust. No one is even talking about the very people he is supposed to be helping. 5. US Big Oil and the US Government is more indirectly involved in this than you know. I am not saying Neil now works directly for the man. I am saying he is a pawn. Right now US has a cheap and steady supply of Canadian Oil because we can only ship to Chicago to refine. Keystone and N.Gateway would help us sell to other markets, thus weakening the refiners and US control on our product. So what do you think the US is gonna do...let it happen, or donate to a bunch of Environmental groups to proxy block and upset anything that will strengthen Canada. It is a no brainer that a country that disposes of all competition all over the world wouldn't do this because it is so simple, just donate money and let the hippies block everything and keep status quo. So the band leader accepted $50K from Tides, I would love to see who donates to Tides, follow the money. 6. The dirtiest oil in the world is in Neil's backyard California. No protest there, ever. Strange hunh? 7. The less Oil from Canada is more from dictatorships. Save a tree, oppress another person that is you cold hard reality. I know some of this may come of a bit conspiracy theory but honestly after what I have seen, it is my opinion of what is happening. We need to realize that Neil is a good talented musician who is a legend, he just happens to be not to bright on this subject but his fame allows for instant credibility and air time. It also makes him the perfect pawn for those who don't want to upset the status quo.