[Capt Phoenix]

Unfortunately Canada also has something else. Something that Saudi Arabia doesn't have: evironmentalists. An even more radical and fervent (though perhaps less violent) crowd than the US. And the violence deficiency would be quickly made up by the radical WTO "flying terrorist columns".
That means your costs of extraction have to include both the massive, burdensome, and mostly counter-productive regulations that the Greens will force the legislature to pass, but also the costs of eco-terrorism and "protests". Blocked trucks, sabotaged equipment, month-long "sit-ins" (like they do in the trees to stop lumbering), and blown-up pipelines (the damage then blamed on you for your "lax security"), are only the beginnings. Add lawsuits by every left-leaning American lawyer seeking to make a name for himself (we have over half the worlds supply of lawyers).
I would dearly love to see Canada develope it's energy reserves, but I fear the enviros have that stopped before it's begun. Good luck, though! You have my best wishes!

[goodnesswins]

"Unfortunately Canada also has something else. Something that Saudi Arabia doesn't have: evironmentalists."

You're right about the environmentalists, BUT I don't think Alberta has quite as many....they've seen CAPITALISM and HOW IT WORKS!!!!!! (And, I would bet they are the most self sufficient of all of Canada's provinces.)