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Originally Posted by crazy_eoj
How exactly is opposing pipelines attacking the demand side of this issue?
Creating larger demand for much worse sources of oil by reducing Canadian supply seems to be rather counterproductive doesn't it?
One thing Canadian protesters could do is refuse to use oil sourced from Countries with much worse environmental, social, and human rights records than Canada. That would mean stopping Canada's importation of foreign oil. And it would also mean building a large trans-Canada pipeline to be self sufficient.
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I'm probably not explaining my thought properly.
First I'll just address your last comment. I'm not sure how Canadian protesters could pick and choose where the country gets it's oil from. The only thing they can do is address how much is used and/or sold.
I'm not sure it's a zero sum game as you imply. I don't think that reducing our output automatically increases how much we bring in, keeping our, and the worlds, net usage the same. It may in the very short term, but markets adjust, habits change.
By protesting oil industries and thus oil use in general it forces the government to change it's strategies. It's slows production and use of oil, and more importantly, it's educates people. Alternatives are explored, new technologies are researched and improved, habits are changed.
The policies we have right now are in place because the oil industries have the politicians in their pockets. An example (outside of oil) that happened just this week was Boeing's stock dropping 3% just because Eric Cantor lost his election. Companies fortunes are tied to the regulations (or lack their of) and the policies they get from the governments in charge.
If Canadians don't ask for change. Things won't change. However, protesters can affect change in the voters, in the government, heck, maybe even in the companies themselves. Shoot, look what's happened because of votes attached to green movements down south when it comes to the Keystone Pipeline.
There's no reason Canada can't move to a more balance and more renewable energy policy.