UK secretly helping Canada push its oil sands project

[dipsydoodle]

Source: The Guardian Sunday 27 November 2011 19.14 GMT

The UK government has been giving secret support at the very highest levels to Canada's campaign against European penalties on its highly polluting tar sands fuel, the Guardian can reveal.

At the same time, the UK government was being lobbied by Shell and BP, which both have major tar sands projects in Alberta, and opened a new consulate in the province to "support British commercial interests".

At least 15 high-level meetings and frequent communications have taken place since September, with David Cameron discussing the issue with his counterpart Stephen Harper during his visit to Canada, and stating privately that the UK wanted "to work with Canada on finding a way forward", according to documents released under freedom of information laws.

Charles Hendry, the energy minister, later told the Canadian high commissioner: "We would value continued discussion with you on how we can progress discussions in Brussels," with Hendry's official asking the Canadians if they had "any suggestions as to what we might do, given the politics in Brussels".

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/27/canada-oil-sands-uk-backing

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This will appear in Monday's hard copy of the newspaper.

[_eh]

1. This connects with Judi Lynn's thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x5071498

[dipsydoodle]

3. In some respects but its a different issue

.

[_eh]

4. I wasn't implying that yours is a duplicate thread

I just thought you might be interested in the other. :-)

[dipsydoodle]

5. I realised that

:hi:

[russspeakeasy]

2. "finding a way forward" is equal to: follow the money.

[Crowman1979]

7. And that money trail will lead you straight to BP!

Mainly because it's the most obvious suspect, and the Tories of both Canada and UK are the main recipients of BPs bribe...I mean campaign money.

[GoCubsGo]

6. I was wondering where that sludge...errr...oil was headed.

The proposed pipeline ends at the Gulf of Mexico, and not at US refineries, so it sure as hell isn't going to wind up here.

[Nihil]

8. Disgusted but not particularly surprised ...

> The UK government has been giving secret support at the very highest levels
> to Canada's campaign against European penalties on its highly polluting tar sands
> fuel, the Guardian can reveal.
>
> At the same time, the UK government was being lobbied by Shell and BP, which both
> have major tar sands projects in Alberta, and opened a new consulate in the province
> to "support British commercial interests".

Cameron & co are just corrupt bags of sewage.

:argh:

[Bragi]

9. The Canadian government is now owned by the Koch brothers

Over the past decade the US-based oil industry has pretty well taken over the government of Canada. The PM is from Calgary, he became leader of the conservative party through funding from non-disclosed (oil) sources, he governs because of overwhelming support from oil-producing parts of the country, and every aspect of Canadian international policy is now completely aligned with what the oil industry wants.

As a Canadian, I am embarrassed by what my country now does internationally. Canada should be renamed Koch-land.