Assuming U.S. President Barack Obama reads USA Today, a full-page advertisement may have caught his attention in light of his upcoming trip to Ottawa.
"President Obama," the ad reads, "You'll never guess who's standing between us and our new energy economy..."
A map of the United States slowly being covered by black ooze flowing south from Canada appears under the headline.
"Canada's Tar Sands: the dirtiest oil on earth," concludes the provocative ad commissioned by the environmental group ForestEthics, as well as Mikisew Cree First Nation and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.
The groups have been complaining for years that the process of turning Alberta's tar-like bitumen into synthetic crude oil produces an unenviable amount of greenhouse gases and churns through massive quantities of water. They worry about contamination of water and land. They also suggest that aboriginal people who live downstream from the oil sands are now suffering from higher than normal rates of cancer. (A study by health officials in Alberta did recently find a higher-than-expected rate of cancer in Fort Chipewyan, but described it no cause for alarm, yet called for more study.)
The ad suggests Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach have turned a "blind eye" to the concerns. Mr. Obama, it continues, should ask Canada to "clean up the tar sands" when he meets with Mr. Harper on Thursday.
A cleaner, greener energy regime has been part of Mr. Obama's "Yes we can," mantra. Conservationists say it should apply to his country's biggest supplier of oil. At least, so they hope.
Speaking to reporters in Edmonton this afternoon, Mr. Stelmach said it's "disconcerting" that ForestEthics is running anti-oil sands ads on both sides of the border in the days leading up to the presidental visit.
"It's part of the misinformation that continues to roll out quite often from various self-interest groups and painting Alberta and the coutnry with a picture like that," he said, "It's most unfortunate."
