American Drones Patrol Manitoba Border

Is Manitoba the new Khyber Pass? The U.S. government is going to patrol the Manitoba border with unmanned drones...unarmed too...which has to be considered a bonus.

The stated goal of the RCMP, according to a CBC story, is to "...help in the fight against smuggling of drugs, alcohol and people." The American version of the reason to use drone surveillance, according to a U.S border protection official is "these are dangerous times" and it is important to know who and what is crossing the border.

The "what"threat to American security and border concerns is apparently dangerous drugs, alcohol and people. Oh yes illegal drugs from Canada has to be a concern. Perhaps the Americans are cracking down on their own seniors stealthily coming across the border in busloads and smuggling those cheaper Canadian pharmaceuticals into the States. that has to be the major national security threat from drugs.

As for beer who can blame Americans for wanting to smuggle Canadian beer instead of having to drink the tepid and tasteless beer they make.

As for people crossing the border, they are likely Canadian tourists heading off to warmer American climates to spend money and help out America with some recession fighting using some Free Trade Canadian cash. Be afraid. be very afraid of Canadians with cash and a hankering to spend it.

Yes sir. These are dangerous times. Unarmed drones are watching out for our best interests. And some human drones are doing some pretty shabby thinking on our behalf all at the same time. Can't pass up a two-for bargain like that now can we?

Wordle Shows Dominant Themes in Alberta's Oil Sands Strategic Plan

Here is a Wordle image of the text content of the recently released Alberta Government report entitled "Responsible Actions: A Plan for Alberta's Oil Sands." This technique measures the frequency of incidences of words and is a rough measure of relative importance of various concepts and themes in the document. Frequency of words is not the only measure of import and the absence of some key words and concepts may be even more telling of the mindset of the authors.

You can go to Wordle to see a larger vew of this image by searching for Alberta Oil Sands Strategy.

Responsible Actions is a very interesting document that I have just read and feel the need to take time to reflect on for a bit and to let the content and context sink in and gel. First impressions is that it is less than an action plan and more of a strategic framework, and for me that is a good thing. It is important to be asking the right questions before you rush to seeking answers.

Others, especially in the ENGO community are crititical of this and see it as a critical shortcoming of the report. They want more of an immdeidate action plan. I see that need for an immediate and urgent andb detailed action plan as the next step. But without a clear and considered working framework the outlines the principles and purposes a rush to action can be ill-conceived poorply executed and then do more harm than good.

The report takes a very integrated and comprehensive and long term triple bottom line approach that seeks to be responsible and sustainable and even adaptive. That is a significant difference in the consciousness of the way the Alberta government used to look at oil sands development which was growth was good regardless of the high costs due to the decade of break-neck development pace, physical and social infrastructure capacity limits or even the ecological consequences.

I commend the report as good reading, perhaps even required reading, for any engaged Alberta citizen who wants to see the thinking of their government on this most critical of economic, social and environmental issues for us and quite possibly for the planet. It is some very good thinking and now we need some serious commitment to effective and immediate implementation.

Is Warren Buffett Eyeing Nexen for Oil Sand Investment?

Rumours have it the Warren Buffett is looking at buying or buying into Nexen. Can't think of anything more dramatic to reinstill investor confidence into Alberta's oil sands development.

Will wait and see.

Ken Chapman on CBC Wildrose (Feb. 11, 2009)

Here is my CBC commentary from last Wednesday on the Alberta Throne Speech. Working on a blog post about the Throne Speech, another one on the 20 Year Oil Sands Strategy and the Alberta agenda we need for the Obama-Harper Hour in Ottawa next week. Stay tuned.

RMR: Canada explained

This is not only funny it is totally accurate(ish). Hat tip to the Calgary Grit for bring it to my attention.