Is our neighbor to the north becoming a jingoistic petro-state? [lib finger-wagging]

Slate ^ | 20 Jan 2012 | Will Oremus

[oblomov]

It’s well known that America’s dependence on foreign oil forces us to partner with some pretty unsavory regimes. Take, for instance, the country that provides by far the largest share of our petroleum imports. Its regime, in thrall to big oil interests, has grown increasingly bellicose, labeling environmental activists “radicals” and “terrorists” and is considering a crackdown on nonprofits that oppose its policies. It blames political dissent on the influence of “foreigners,” while steamrolling domestic opposition to oil projects bankrolled entirely by overseas investors. Meanwhile, its skyrocketing oil exports have sent the value of its currency soaring, enriching energy industry barons but crippling other sectors of its economy.

Yes, Canada is becoming a jingoistic petro-state.

OK, so our friendly northern neighbor isn’t exactly Saudi Arabia or Venezuela. But neither is it the verdant progressive utopia once viewed as a haven by American liberals fed up with George W. Bush. These days Canada has a Dubya of its own. And judging by a flurry of negative press from around the world—the latest: Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other African leaders are taking out newspaper ads accusing Canada of contributing to famine and drought on the continent—it seems anti-Canadianism could be the new anti-Americanism.

Stephen Harper, the son of an oil-company accountant, built his political career in Alberta, a province whose right-wing tendencies and booming energy sector make it Canada’s equivalent of Texas. Harper took over the Conservative Party in 2004 and became prime minister two years later on a platform that evoked Bush’s “compassionate conservatism.” In 2009, he quelled a Bush-esque Afghan-detainee abuse scandal by sending the parliament home to forestall further investigation.

[aruanan]

Countries DO NOT have friends.

Countries have interests.

You're both guilty of anthropomorphizing. Countries do not have friends OR interests because they are NOT living beings. Countries have people in positions of power that direct those countries' states of affairs who have both friends (and enemies) and interests in other countries or in their own country that then affect the way they deal with the other countries.

[null and void]

As you say.

[Rudder]

Meanwhile, its skyrocketing oil exports have sent the value of its currency soaring, enriching energy industry barons but crippling other sectors of its economy.

This idiot believes that if you make money selling oil, you can't make money doing anything else.

[fanfan]

Thanks for the ping, canuck_conservative.

The smear campaign going on up here is almost unbelievable.

;-) Almost.

[Yardstick]

I love it.

Go Canada!

[Billthedrill]

The author strikes me as a little unhinged, frankly. But I can go with it. It’s a mighty small step from a toque to a turban, after all. And they’re still pissed about Gretzky. ;-)

[TheOldLady]

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[af_vet_rr]

Obama by his refusal is helping us form deeper commercial bonds with the Communist Chinese! Go figure!

Obama ain't doing squat. Rick Perry did more in 2010 to bring in Chinese money and help create oil jobs than Obama did. I'll repost this:

Rick Perry made a trip to China in 2010 and strongly encouraged the Chinese to invest in Texas' oil and gas industry. Guess what? They did. To the tune of $2 billion being invested in Texas oilfields. This video was recorded not long after he made the trip to China - he talks about the trip around 9:40 into the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgjFXCcz2g4

The result? Later that year:

http://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Move-by-Chinese-to-lift-S-Texas-boom-to-new-high-1617593.php

China's national oil company, CNOOC, will spend $2.2 billion to drill in partnership with Chesapeake Energy Corp. in the Eagle Ford shale, a rich oil and gas formation that lies under 11 counties.

Exploration in the Eagle Ford already has brought newfound prosperity to South Texas' hardscrabble farming and cattle country, and Chesapeake said the ramped-up drilling could bring 20,000 jobs to the region.

See these boots that Perry gave the Chinese foreign minister on his trip to China?



Think of each one of those boots representing a $1 billion investment in Texas oilfield, or 10,000 jobs. And there is more to it than that - he also got the Chinese to invest $1 billion into a pipe manufacturing facility in Texas.

It didn't happen overnight either. Perry worked for months on getting the Chinese to invest.

This is Perry hosting a reception with the Chinese Consulate General of Houston a few months before he made his trip to China:



While other candidates talked about trade wars with China, Perry went to China and brought back Chinese investments. Perry talked about his foreign relations experience with Mexico, but he really should have talked about his foreign relations experience with China.

Did Obama go over to China and get them to invest billions in our oil and gas industry? I don't think so. He's only interested in shipping jobs to China. Perry is interested in bringing Chinese money here.

[RansomOttawa]

And judging by a flurry of negative press from around the world—the latest: Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other African leaders are taking out newspaper ads accusing Canada of contributing to famine and drought on the continent—

Say what? What are we doing, going over there and stealing their food and water?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks oblomov.