Maybe They Were Already Dead

Paul Wells thinks the Harper government should be given credit for slaying Quebec separatism.  I'd suggest its been deceased since 1995 and Harper has merely presided over the last twitchings of the body.  I would further suggest that Harper's uncritical trumpeting of tar-sands development threatens to awake a far more dangerous beast...a British Columbia independence movement.  The more Harper pushes for projects like Northern Gateway (and perhaps, who knows, Kinder Morgan) the more he risks a sovereigntist flare-up on our Left Coast.  Those people went ape-shit when outsiders attempted to harmonize the federal and provincial sales tax; just think how they'll react when the first crew of tar-miners from Calgary show up in their gold-plated cowboy hats. (hint: it will be bad)

Life In Scarborough: Scarborough Youths Reject The Lure Of Tar-Sands $

Overheard a young couple yesterday in one of Scarborough's relatively upscale pubs.   He had taken her out for dinner. They were both Millennials, sporting elaborate tattoos.  He said that he had considered leaving for Fort Mac to shovel bitumen outta the tar-sands, but decided that doing so would mean selling out his values, betraying the good Mother Earth, and etc.  He didn't care about money.  Life was so much more.  Good lad. I'm pretty sure he was trying to get laid, but whatever. Back in my day, if you wanted to advertise your sensitivity creds you just threw on a VHS of any movie starring the young Matthew Modine, Birdy comes to mind, and then made sure your gal saw you tearing up  the appropriate moment.  The bar has got a little higher since the 1980s, which is a good thing.

Neil Young And The Tar Sands

Just to stave off the usual complaints about Neil's being a washed-up rocker.  It's true I don't wait for his new music  like I used to, but every once in awhile he can still pull off a real corker.  It usually involves screaming guitars and feedback.

 And all the money he raises will be real enough.