LINKS Sept. 21, 2011

BORDER

New international trade crossing would ease border congestion: study [Detroit Free Press]

Report gives edge to government-owned bridge, but crucial info lacking [Crain's Detroit Business]

Study: Ambassador twin bridge won’t reduce congestion, one farther south will [The Detroit News]

7 findings from independent analysis of Detroit-Windsor border options [MLive.com]

Study offers border improvements [BuffaloNews.com]

US-Canada Perimeter Security and the Consolidation of North America [dissidentvoice.org]

Blowguns among weapons seized at border [Toronto Sun]

TRADE/ECONOMY

Fed moves on long-term rates to spur growth [New York Times]

Monetary Policy Release [federalreserve.gov]

GOP to Fed: No more stimulus [Politico]

Carney fears European, US economic woes will hurt Canada [Toronto Star]

Canadians take record number of overnight trips to US in July [Vancouver Sun]

Political wrangling in US frustrates Canadian Pacific CEO [Wall Street Journal]

Walmart to announce which Zellers locations it’s buying from rival Target [CP]

Obama wrong to try to use trade barriers to save jobs  [Vancouver Sun]

Washingtonians want Canadian whiskey [Seattle P-I]

Canadian debt level no cause for alarm, economist says [Globe and Mail]

Cross-border claims frustrate auto carriers [Claims Journal]

MILITARY

US building secret drone bases in Africa, Arabian Peninsula [Washington Post]

US sharpens warning to Pakistan [Washington Post]

Assassination deals blow to peace process in Afghanistan [New York Times]

ENERGY

Oil sands workers press MPs to oppose ‘wrongheaded’ Keystone pipeline [Globe and Mail]

Keystone pipeline will mean more jobs — for Americans [Edmonton Journal]

Labor fight over Keystone retraces old ground [Alberta Oil Magazine]

Kay: Why the ‘ethical oil’ movement is bogus [National Post]

Kheiriddin: Saudi Arabia’s ‘ethical oil’ issue leaves the left in the lurch [National Post]

Harper: Keystone approval is ‘no brainer’ [Bloomberg]

Feds dismiss accident risks on oil sands pipeline [Postmedia News]

Output drop challenges pipeline [Calgary Herald]

Tar sands oil pipeline would violate Bush-era pollution law [allgov.com]

Report calls for national energy strategy [Global]

Foreign markets key to Canada’s oil future [Calgary Sun]

Oil sands image needs polishing [CTV]

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Twitter/luizachsavage

Category: Today's Links

LINKS Sept. 19, 2011

BORDER

Latest US protectionism threatens negotiations on streamlined border [Toronto Star]

US-Canada cross-border policing to be tested [Postmedia News]

Pardy: erosion of privacy could be cost of cross-border business [Edmonton Journal]

Border deal compromises sovereignty: think tank [Postmedia News]

Canadians’ info not at risk in border deal: Ottawa [Postmedia News]

Canada’s first electronic passport carries a hefty price tag [CP]

Letter: remember to thank Canada for 9/11 aid [Times Herald - Port Huron, Michigan]

Controversy brewing in BC over renewal of international water deal [Postmedia]

TRADE/ECONOMY

Suddenly, over there is over here [New York Times]

Volcker: A little inflation is a dangerous thing [New York Times]

Obama proposes new taxes on wealthy for half of debt plan [Washington Post]

Obama vows veto if deficit plan has no tax increases [New York Times]

Democrats’ control of Senate could hinge on Warren campaign [Washington Post]

Air Canada contract talks continue [CP]

US tax evasion crackdown unfair to Canadians: Flaherty [CTV]

Canada should tap into US labour pool as shortages loom: Kenney[CP]

Canada a country of ‘underperformers’, says Conference Board [itbusiness.ca]

How to make consumer goods cheaper [National Post]

MILITARY

Libyans fail to agree on new government [Reuters]

Hitchens: In defense of endless war [Slate]

Top soldier open to repaying Caribbean vacation flight [CTV]

ENERGY

China invests billions in Canadian oil sands [fuelfix.com]

China shuts solar panel factory after anti-pollution protests [New York Times]

No new oil sands emissions rules this year: Peter Kent [National Post]

Keystone XL pipeline safety standards not as rigorous as they seem [InsideClimate News]

TransCanada CEO: Keystone XL pipeline ‘absolutely’ will happen [The Hill]

Pourbaix: Keystone XL will bring jobs to US [Houston Chronicle]

‘Ethical oil’ campaign ad riles Saudis [Toronto Sun]

EU, Canada spar over climate law [Wall Street Journal]

Pipeline hearings expected to be ‘contentious’ [industryweek.com]

Looking over the tar sands precipice [NJtoday.net]

Letter: approving pipeline is just common sense [Bay Area Citizen - Texas]

 

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Twitter/luizachsavage

Category: Today's Links

House GOP to press for Keystone XL pipeline on Monday

May 20, 2011
By

TransCanada executive,  Alex Pourbaix, Alberta’s former envoy to Washington, DC, Murray Smith, and the chairman of Alberta’s Energy Resources Conservation Board, Dan McFadyen, will be among the witnesses at a hearing scheduled for Monday at which House Republicans will make the case for swift approval of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that is going through a State Dept. approval process and has drawn opposition from environmentalists.

The hearing will focus on draft legislation that would require the State Department to issue a final decision (in what has been a drawn-out approval process) by Nov. 1.

It’s interesting to note that the legislation is entitled: “North American-Made Energy Security Act.” This suggests some acceptance of the notion that some in Canada have been pushing of “North American” as opposed to “American” energy independence as a goal.

The hearing will be webcast and some of the written testimony is already available here.

Here is the press release:

May 20, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC – Continuing efforts to fight soaring gasoline prices and ensure a more secure energy future, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), will hold the eighth day of its hearing on the “American Energy Initiative” on Monday, May 23, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. This day of the hearing will focus on the discussion draft of H.R.____, the “North American-Made Energy Security Act”.

The draft legislation aims to bring more North American oil supplies online by expediting the consideration of the Presidential Permit for the Keystone XL pipeline expansion. The draft legislation requires the president to issue a Presidential Permit decision no later than November 1, 2011. Completion of the Keystone pipeline extension would more than double the current system’s capacity, bringing 1.29 million barrels per day to into U.S. markets.

The hearing is open to the public and press. Opening statements, witness testimony, a copy of the discussion draft, and a live webcast will be available HERE.

WITNESS LIST

The Honorable Dan McFadyen
Chairman
Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board

Mr. Murray Smith
President
Murray Smith & Associates

Mr. Alex Pourbaix
President, Energy and Oil Pipelines
TransCanada

Mr. Stephen Kelly
Assistant General President
United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters

Mr. James Burkhard
Managing Director, Global Oil
IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates

Mr. Jeremy Symons
Sr. Vice President, Conservation & Education
National Wildlife Federation

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