ACTION ALERT: Tar sands: not in Canada’s ecological or energy security interests?

September 4, 2009

Background information:

It has recently emerged in the news that PetroChina Co. Ltd’s is striking a $1.9 billion dollar deal with privately owned Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. (AOSC). Under this deal, PetroChina will acquire a 60 per cent working interest in AOSC’s MacKay River and Dover oil sands.

Under the Investment Canada Act, the federal government is obliged to review foreign takeovers to ensure they represent a net benefit to Canada. Recent amendments to the Act authorize the government to review whether investments impair or threaten to impair national security. As Industry Minister, Tony Clement has the authority to recommend such a review.

Take action:

Send this letter to Minister of Industry Tony Clement, urging him to ensure that the deal between PetroChina and AOSC is reviewed in the interests of Canada’s national security including considering both ecological and energy security.

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SEND A LETTER NOW:

Subject
Recipients	Clement.T@parl.gc.ca; CC: pm@pm.gc.ca
Compose your letter in the box below.
Minister Clement, It has recently emerged in the news that PetroChina Co. Ltd’s is striking a $1.9 billion dollar deal with privately owned Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. (AOSC). Under this deal, PetroChina will acquire a 60 per cent working interest in AOSC’s MacKay River and Dover oil sands. Under the Investment Canada Act, the federal government is obliged to review foreign takeovers to ensure they represent a net benefit to Canada. Recent amendments to the Act authorize the government to review whether investments impair or threaten to impair national security. As Industry Minister, you have the authority to recommend such a review. It is my opinion that the deal between PetroChina and AOSC provides sufficient reasons for review regarding interests of national security. Confronted with the threat of climate change to the environment, people and our economy, ecological security is a growing and serious matter of national security. The Alberta tar sands are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. With predictions that projected output will double as soon as 2013, the carbon intensive tar sands are a serious stumbling block to committing to meaningful, science based emission reduction targets. This is particularly pertinent given the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark this December, where Canada will be expected to do its fair share to reduce emissions and address climate change. In addition to contributing to climate change, the tar sands are associated with a number of other serious environmental impacts including destroying large tracts of ecologically significant boreal forest as well as consuming and contaminating alarming amounts of water. The PetroChina deal will help bring two projects which stand to produce between 400,000 and 500,000 barrels of crude per day, come to fruition. The PetroChina deal, like all investment deals that contributes to ongoing rapid expansion in the tar sands is in opposition to ensuring ecological security in our country. Reasonable planning for ecological security should include halting further expansions in the tar sands. Ensuring adequate supplies of energy to meet Canadian’s needs – energy security – is also vital to national security. Many major energy producing and consuming nations have embarked on major review of energy policy in recent years. These governments have come to the conclusion that market forces alone cannot satisfy essential national energy requirements, but that the state must assume more responsibility for performing this role. Globally, oil and gas reserves are increasingly being held by state owned firms – Canada is an exception to this trend. Increasing foreign ownership in Canada’s tar sands does little to ensure energy security, but rather, is demonstrative of the lack of a Canadian Energy Strategy ensuring Canadian’s security of production, supply and distribution of essential energy services. Further, energy security is reliant on planning for a transition to a low carbon future, ensuring ecological security. Minister Clement, I urge you to ensure that the deal between PetroChina and AOSC is reviewed in the interests of Canada’s national security including consideration of these important points on both ecological and energy security. Sincerely,
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