[Marxism] Canadians opposing drilling in ANWR; rally in DC

["Macdonald Stainsby" <mstainsby@xxxxxxxxx>]

Canucks join Arctic drilling fight
By BETH GORHAM
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/09/20/1227872-cp.html

WASHINGTON (CP) - Canadians joined U.S. political heavyweights at a
Capitol Hill rally Tuesday to oppose drilling for oil in the Arctic
refuge, blasting supporters for exploiting high gas prices and fears of
shortages unleashed by hurricane Katrina.

Congress is due to vote next month on drilling in the vast refuge and
approval requires just a 50-per-cent majority so environmental groups and
politicians on both sides of the border are racing to persuade those who
favour drilling they'd be making a huge mistake.

"It makes no sense to respond to a disaster in the Gulf by making a
disaster in Alaska," said Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"Yet that is exactly what so many in Congress want to do."

Besides, said Senator John Kerry, who lost to President George W. Bush in
last year's election, Arctic oil reserves would barely put a dent in the
U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

"It's like taking a cup of water, pouring it into the ocean and pretending
you're raising the tide," Kerry told thousands of anti-drilling activists,
including some dressed like polar bears who fanned themselves in
blistering heat.

Canada has always opposed drilling in the 7.7-million-hectare park, saying
it would disrupt the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd. The
migrating herd is a food staple for the Gwich'in First Nation in Alaska
and Yukon.

"They cross literally through our backyards twice a year," said Kim Blake,
an aboriginal from Crow Foot in Yukon, who made the long trip for the
rally with a dozen others.

"That's how we live. That's where we get our food, our clothes and tools."

Larry Bagnell, parliamentary secretary to Canada's Natural Resources
minister, said the survival of an entire culture depends on that herd of
some 125,000.

"If people drove their cars a little bit less...we wouldn't need drilling
at all. It's not that critical for anyone's survival."

"There's a lot of capacity around the world."

There's enough oil and gas in the refuge to serve the United States for
about 16 months, the U.S. Geological Survey said, with estimates of 10.4
billion barrels.

While it may not seem like a lot to some, Katrina's devastating impact on
Gulf Coast pipelines and the resulting surge in gas prices has some
Americans switching to support for drilling.

One recent survey suggested 60 per cent now approve of opening the refuge,
up almost 20 percentage points from a similar poll in March.

"It's a very emotional time and we respect that," said Arthur Mitchell,
Yukon's Liberal leader.

"But it's being abused by the oil lobby and proponents of drilling to try
to get the legislation through a back door."

"This is not going to have any effect on the price of gasoline - maybe a
penny a gallon 15 years from now."

A major energy bill passed by Congress in July didn't include Arctic
refuge drilling.

But Congress inserted the issue into a budget bill that will be voted on
next month and doesn't allow for any stalling tactics.

Those kind of bills are often loaded with more contentious policies that
likely wouldn't pass on their own.

Bagnell predicts that opinion is almost evenly split and those who want to
protect the refuge could still win the day.

"We just need one or two senators to change their minds, or about three in
the House," he said.

"This is a very, very close vote."

Prime Minister Paul Martin has discussed the issue with Bush, a strong
defender of drilling. Martin said last month Canada wouldn't give up and
cabinet ministers would keep lobbying south of the border.

Canada has pointed out a 1987 Canada-U.S. agreement states the two
countries are supposed to refrain from any activities that could damage
the herd or its habitat.

Advocates of drilling said it would include just a small portion of the
refuge and wouldn't damage the environment, caribou or other animal
species.



--
Macdonald Stainsby
http://independentmedia.ca/survivingcanada/
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
In the contradiction lies the hope.
--Brecht.


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