It would appear U.S. President Barack Obama has decided Canada’s “dirty oil” isn’t quite so “dirty” after all.
We knew this would happen.
It usually does when politically-motivated environmentalism runs into a brick wall called reality.
There’s even an equation for it: Oilsands plus eco-hyperbole equals tarsands; Mideast crisis plus Venezuelan … other options equals Alberta oil.
While we admit this equation is rather crude, so is the end product the U.S. so drastically needs, even as it tries to reduce its dependence on oil imports as the Middle East and northern Africa goes through its various revolutions, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez continues to play Crazy 8s .
Increasingly high prices for gas at the pumps — which is still less than in Canada, thanks to our tax-on-tax fuel gouge — naturally has Americans demanding action from their president.
And so where has Obama turned?
Well, he turned south to Mexico, it’s No. 2 supplier, and then he turned north to Canada, its No. 1 supplier — all to lessen his need to import oil from such venues as Saudi Arabia, No. 3, Venezuela, No. 5 and Iraq, No. 8.
And all this is happening while these less politically-desirable oil producers look over their shoulder to the burgeoning Asian market.
So suddenly, at least in the eyes of Obama, the oilsands no longer look quite as “dirty” as they did when oil prices were lower and the Arab world was being nicely run by despots.
The Toronto Sun (April 6)