Dick Cheney's Canada

What is going to come out of this Dick Cheney visit to the Alberta oilsands?

U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney is to jet into Alberta next month for an oilsands tour, further cementing the vital role Canada will play in supplying crude to the world's biggest energy consumer.

Premier Ralph Klein surprised his aides Friday by revealing at the premiers meeting in Banff that U.S. President George W. Bush's right-hand man would arrive in September for a primer on the multibillion-dollar oilsands projects in northeastern Alberta.

Calgary Herald

Raging Grannies get angry !

www.edmontonsun.com...

Cheney's visit is "a sign that Alberta is becoming America's gas tank," said Lindsay Telfer, the Sierra Club's regional director.

Related:
www.fortmcmurraytoday.com...


Why dont we just hand over everything we have on a silver platter, lie down and put our faces in the mud so they can walk all over us?

This crap would not fly if I had the power. We will NOT get the better end of the deal. Remember, even if you are in Canada, if your not in Alberta, dont expect this to bring you any good.

King Ralph is about to make a friend.

Dick Cheney's Canada - Ah just wait him out till he's out of office. If they get to the next election cycle, do you or anyone think any of the present admistration will survive the election process? And even if the Elephants win what staff will be part of the newly elected presidentail staff?

Of course I say this based on congress not expanding Presidential limitations.

Dallas

If some Dick wants to come look at our greasy sand, he's welcome to look.

It's all alvailable at a fair market price, and we have no other customers. YET........

The United States currently gets a good majority of its oil from Canada, what else do they need to see?

Any idea how much this little tour by the "Prince In Waiting" is going to cost the Canadian tax payer???

The added security, the banquets, the planning, etc.....

This all seems so pointless to send someone like Cheney up to Canada just to look at some dark sand.

This is the most reliable source of oil for the USA on the planet, I think the least the Americans could do is send Condoleezza Rice.
At least we'd get something nice to look at for our tax dollars...........

I have no idea on costs. I think its a bit early to say what will happen at all.

Most likely we will hear about this after it happens, for security reasons. I imagine it will carry a nice price tag. The recent premiers meeting costs around 1 million bucks.

Yep... Including $180 dollar a round golf at the banff springs, train ride through the mountains etc.

Related reading:

www.edmontonsun.com...

Alberta's energy minister says Ottawa and B.C. have no right to use the province's oil and gas as a bargaining chip in the softwood lumber dispute with the U.S., as suggested by B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell.

Greg Melchin said Alberta's coveted oil and gas reserves are, as are the resources of any other province, not to be used as pawns in any disagreement over trade, and should not be treated as such by Prime Minister Paul Martin or any premier.

"It isn't their role to direct oil and gas policy for Alberta," Melchin said.

"You don't go negotiating energy issues in the world without Alberta at the front and at the table."

More and more, Canada is looking like a deer caught in the crosshairs of American interest...I hope King Ralph isn't too generous and pushes us towards the same debacle now playing itself out in the softwood lumber scenario.

Quotes...

"The unconventional is increasingly becoming the conventional"
Alan Greenspan

"I hadn't realized, until these briefings I've had, just how vast these facilities are and what potential they have for the future."
John Snow

"... we're glad to be able to get access toward a million barrels a day, headed toward 2 million..."
G.W. Bush

from a Barrie McKenna story in todays Globe and Mail...
www.theglobeandmail.com...






[edit on 17-8-2005 by masqua]

Dick Cheney doesn't leave "the undisclosed secure location" for any reason other than something VERY important - So important that it can't be trusted to a lesser man or woman (think 43 and Condie). How many times has he actually been seen in the last 6 years? - not much. And darn sure not in another country. Has he ever been to any other foreign nation on official biz since choosing himself as VP of the most powerful nation on the planet? I may be way wrong but I don't think so.

Nope a visit of this stellar magnitude is a zero event hozion, one-time thing and it isn't merely to hoist a few with Ralphy, tour the "Greasy Sand Box" and play 19 holes. Nope, this is important - We are going to be told THE WAY IT WILL BE IN DICK CHENEY'S CANADA - sound extreme? I think not. No he needs something - and has to do it in person to add the omnipresent level of gravitas THAT ONLY DICK CHENEY can impart. No he's bringing a message of some type THAT CAN NOT BE GOOD FOR CANADA.

Dick Cheney is the "go to guy", the "fixer", the "quarterback" and the "trigger man" all in one persona - and something must be broken-large for the "sub-49 crew" concerning those "supra-49th" or he wouldn't come here - on a good day he wouldn't give us the steam off his pea (but Hailliburton might lease us the steam after the Iranians are done leasing it) - on a bad day... (how many dead civilians in Iraq now 70, 80, 90K) - you get the idea.

I'll place two small bets; one - he wants the oil for backup in case the Middle-East policy goes Billy-Saul Hearhock and "blows up real good" requiring oil supplies and refining capability beyond the current US strategic reserves to enable the US foreign policy(s) execution - read WAR, and two - to deliver a threat - something like GET IN LINE CANADA OR ELSE. We the REAL people of the north will never be privy to the data of the REAL message of this visit that only a select favoured few will receive. Freakin' scary. Watch the news for the "people" meeting with him and those "merely" in attendance - particularly the informal stuff - that's when he'll be most vituperous and most likely to slip the shiv up under our ribs - pay attention to even the minute details - nuance and tone count large.

You see something very big, something NOT wonderful is gonna go operational Sept 7th - I don't know what - yet. But when it happens we'll all know it like yesterday and it will change all our lives - forever.

Notice our change in laws - the Cotler "Little Knesset" factor - the CBC being "off-line", the "surplus" of the lack of concrete data - the ground beneath our feet IS changing - the rhetoric too.

This sucks. Now I wanna make clear that I don't hate Cheney-san but I hope his Cardiac Pacemaker needs a fresh battery installed or a complete replacement the night he's to arrive and this visit could be put off till say... NEVER!

I don't know what will happen - but I do believe we are "toast in the making" and our "government" has neither the inclination nor bravery to do what is in our national best interest. We are sittin' ducks, our politicians are the duck blind and Cheney is the shotgun - rotary 5 barrel 10 gauge with hollow tip DU SSG's.

Maybe if all us "supra-49ers" in this community are as committed as we say we are and are really diligent and digitally "sniff the breeze" with a high degree of acuity and selectivity we can suss out the cess from that which is shinola-spun and come up with some reasonable hypothesis that we can test for veracity over the not-too-distant-future. We're worth it.

Who's up for it? OK, here's the call to the challenge "supra-49ers":

This is highgroundsys0p putting out a PRIORITY ALPHA call to all the brothers and sisters of the "supra-49th" - bring your ideas, your savvy, your guile, your daring, and your patriotism to this thread and let's work the problem as individuals and collectively to achieve the shared understanding of what chicanery Dick Cheney has in store for this the finest nation on this planet - our home - THE TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE - OUR CANADA.

What say you CANUCKS?

May our sun never set,
hgs0, o+o 0508201111EST... peace.


[edit on 20-8-2005 by highgroundsys0p]

canada needs to have better deals with other countires not just the u.s.we have learned that past agreements dont really matter much.u.s wants oil from canada stand in line and take a ticket.will call your number when we are done with china lol.canada looks better everyday.wink..

NAFTA.

Maybe if we give them the oil, they won't force us to institute a draft, which would be a nice allowance, wouldn't it?

If they want to trade their guns for our oil, they can, hmmm, there's no nice way for what should happen to them, in such a scenario.

Alberta's oil is now economical, esp. if they increase the efficiency just a bit with their new steaming techniques (which last I heard required natural gas, which is pumped out of the same region, but is much easier initially to access, thus opening up access to the massive crude reserves)

And can I just say that Ralph Klein has his mind made up, and its not because he is 'friends' with Cheney, its because of a behind-the-scenes factor in Politics, that things cannot be left to chance, and that is why we have "Your Average Joe" Ralph Klein who has been in charge for more than a decade!

"shinola-spun and come up with some reasonable hypothesis that we can test for veracity"
That is some good trance-inducing,people either have to spend time to understand what you said, or they are confused and just agree with you, whatever you just said. Well played.

The way the US is about paying their bills (5 billion they already owe us) we should charge them COD just so they don't rip us off anymore. Maybe when they run out of gas, some things would change very quickly down there.

More grist for the thread...

Ultra right wing think tank alert!
www.cbc.ca...

US vice-president Cheney to attend Fraser Institute dinner in Calgary
by invitation-only $5,000-$10,000 a plate for the dinner, scheduled for Sept 8... Michael Walker Alert! Gordon Campbell alert! and OMG Mike "Walkerton" Harris alert!


'Good article by Simon Beck...
Shows a little more history of the international right-wing social engineering big-biz old boy connections...

Duck Huntin' and shotguns... Fort McMurray
One of the best articles I've read yet... connect the dots... quality journalism...
www.straight.com...
and
Fort McMurray is in the itinerary...
www.fortmcmurraytoday.com...

US VP Cheney to Tour Alberta Halliburton Operations...
I hear the little girl from the movie Poltergeist saying,"They're heeeeere"
Can KBR be far behind?
www.vivelecanada.ca...
www.vivelecanada.ca...

So if you believe the press he's coming on the Sept 7th (the day after all the politicians are in back in DC) and it would seem staying until the end of September!... that's a lot of sittin' ducks to shoot. This is a total right-wing deal.

All US military leaves are cancelled as of midnight the 6th of September from what I gather from others' ATS thread posts... I searched but can not confirm this independently. Help anyone?

and the most odious and condor-like....
www.theglobeandmail.com...
from the above link:
"The visit is a recognition of the strategic importance of the resource and the bilateral relationship with Canada."

Maybe this might not be so bad after all? Maybe we will get a sweet deal.
From the articles one might possibly think Cheney's coming to beat the Chinese, French and Germans to the punch... "Buy the place and fire 'em all!" Halliburton - Halliburton - Halliburton. Hmmm...

Has Planet Dick Cheney written-off the Middle-East? Poof!

What if something massive bad happened on the 7th of September?

How easy would it be to get the Canadian public to back a comprehensive and exclusive American investment and development of the entire Tar Sands if there were say - a major terrorist attack somewhere in the "Western" world (including Iraq) that day?

akilles' credit goes here - thanx much!

"And can I just say that Ralph Klein has his mind made up, and its not because he is 'friends' with Cheney, its because of a behind-the-scenes factor in Politics, that things cannot be left to chance"

Take 10 minutes and read all the articles in the whole thread from everybody...

Was a potential "behind-the-scenes factor" conspiracy hatched way back in Y2K? These folks do not leave things to chance.
Dick Cheney only ever backs the winner every time on Planet Dick Cheney.

Who was premier of Alberta in Y2K?

Or what if it was even earlier? Like way, way back in '95 or '96?
I remember Mike "Oka" Harris hosted a heavy duty right-wing strategy retreat in Muskoka about then (I remember cuz they closed a two-lane highway near where I lived and I saw all the hardened limos and all private security in the hardened tactical SUVs with OPP head and tail escorts). I think I also saw the CFTO news that night and there was a report of the event. 41 wuz there, so was Cheney, McKenna, Mulroney, John Tory and Klein. Totally corporate show.

Was this "retreat" the beginning of the transition from NWO to NEOCON ideology in the North American right wing of politics that is now about to evolve and morph into Planet Dick Cheney?

Was a comprehensive long term international right wing strategy pact for the future of the globe soon to be known as Planet Dick Cheney committed to at that time?

Who was Alberta's premier in '95?

With the hyper-conservative Fraser Institute, Mike "the knife" Harris and other social engineering corporate-cronies involved both then and now I humbly offer the remote possibility that we as "Canadians" may be looking at a more "American" influenced lifestyle in the Canadian West in the future.

Don't be too surprised if you hear the term "Common Sense Revolution" recycled and pop up in America. Specifically the Republican campaign for '06.
A little bird in who write things for politicians to say here in Ontario told me so.

The Dick Cheney fall '05 "Tar Sands Tour" may only be the "window dressing" that represents the culmination of a decade long preparatory phase for a fundamental and comprehensive paradigm shift in the way things will work politically, socially and economically from this point forward on the new and improved and soon to be Strategically Secure Planet Dick Cheney.

Any thoughts?

[edit on 21-8-2005 by highgroundsys0p]

[edit on 22-8-2005 by Thomas Crowne]

I should phone up cheney, ask for a private visit. My father used to work for Halliburton.

Perhaps we could discuss the economic issues plauging our nations...

YEAH RIGHT

Im looking forward to seeing what comes out of this. I really dont know what will happen... Most likely nothing this visit.

BUT I expect more visits to come in the near future. Most likely with US energy officials.

Then the ball will really get rolling.

Originally posted by highgroundsys0p
How easy would it be to get the Canadian public to back a comprehensive and exclusive American investment and development of the entire Tar Sands if there were say - a major terrorist attack somewhere in the "Western" world (including Iraq) that day?

I don't think we can give the US exclusive rights to our oil production, and I don't think we should. It would be just plain stupid to have the US be our only market for these exports as evidenced by all the other trade disputes. It's not something I would support at all.

China has already 'shown us the money' and they have partial ownership in some of the oilsand projects being developed. It would be very bad form to go back on our agreements.

Earlier this spring, Canadian pipeline giant Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) announced that it had signed a preliminary deal with PetroChina to anchor a new, $2.5-billion oilsands pipeline to the West Coast. From there, crude could be put on tankers destined for a variety of Asian markets including China.

In April, CNOOC bought nearly 17 per cent of privately held Canadian oilsands company MEG Energy Corp. for $150 million.

One month later, large Chinese refiner Sinopec Group paid $105 million for a 40 per cent stake in privately owned Synenco Energy Inc.'s Northern Lights oilsands project.

www.rigzone.com

Thanks for all the links in the rest of your post. It will take a while to go through them all.

Reading a news item from CNN:

www.cnn.com...

REGINA, Canada (AP) -- The Canadian government on Tuesday hinted at an escalating trade war with the United States, with two federal ministers warning of tariffs on American products in retaliation for Washington's policies against Canadian lumber.

Trade Minister Jim Peterson is identifying areas where Canadian tariffs could put maximum pressure on the U.S. economy with minimal damage domestically, two of his cabinet colleagues told reporters attending a Liberty Party caucus in western Canada.

It looks like Canada is strengthening her bargaining position prior to Mr. Cheney's visit. Although this issue has been in the fire for some time, it looks like some heat is being added to bring it to the forefront.

Could it be, could it??????
Is Canada going to show "The American Vice" all our sand and tell them how much we could increase production, how we could provide them with so much more oil............... BUT........

The USA has to return all those billions in tariffs and they stop bitching about our softwood lumber.

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
If some Dick wants to come look at our greasy sand, he's welcome to look.

It's all alvailable at a fair market price, and we have no other customers. YET........

no customers? i have news for you. we run 10,000 bbls a day of tar sand crude at the refinery i work at. and a lot of other refineries in the usa do also, and china wants to put an 800k bbl a day port in vancouver bc

[edit on 27-8-2005 by bigx01]

I know we are working on a pipeline to the West Coast to ship this oil to China. I didn't know it was going to the Port of Vancouver.

That's a shame. I was hoping they would go to Prince Rupert. The North could really use the employment and investment dollars.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has postponed a visit to Canada later this week in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, officials said Sunday.

Cheney had planned to visit Alberta on Thursday and Friday, stopping first in Calgary, then visiting Fort McMurray and touring the massive tar sands projects there.

Source


Now we have to wait and see what will happen with this issue.