Dirty industry

Canada’s filthiest industry is being given a vote of confidence by one of Britain’s biggest petroleum giants. BP oil executive Tony Hayward is praising the tarsand’s at a time when Canada’s own environment minister, Jim Prentice says their image is “especially negative.”

And now BP is receiving criticism from shareholders over a decision to invest in the tarsands project, similar to criticism Royal Dutch Shell received for their recent business ventures.

British campaigning organization FairPensions is urging the oil giant to adopt "responsible investment practices." Saying that before diving into such a business venture the company needs to consider such issues as future carbon prices, regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and the risk to the company's reputation in getting involved with the dirty Canadian endeavor.

The investment is the beginning of a joint business effort with Husky Energy called the Sunrise Project, originally starting in 2007. But is now one of Canada's first major steps towards an economic revival. Up until now BP has stayed away from any tarsands involvement. But their $5.5-billion business partnership with Husky Energy is a huge step in a new direction, and one that's quickly gaining public disapproval.

But despite widespread criticism of the tarsands, Hayward is downplaying their negative environmental impact, calling it "steam assisted gravity drainage," rather than mining, and is insisting that the environmental footprint of such is much less than conventional drilling.

BP's involvement with Canada's tarsands comes just after Prentice announced during a speech to Calgary business leaders, that the industries involved in the tarsands need to start cleaning up their image within Canada as well as internationally before the world loses faith in Canada as an environmental leader.