Canada's Highway to Hell

Comments

• Peter Goldman wrote on January 03, 2008, 08:26AM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Rather explicit

• R C wrote on January 23, 2008, 09:00PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Lies LOTS of lies.

  The 1st of which is the speeds people drive Highway 63. 140 KMH possibly for some suicidal idots but MILES AN HOUR? Not a chance you lying sack of [expletive deleted]!

  As for the rest of your so called reporting....90% BULL[expletive deleted]!

  [Ed. note: To maintain decorum and civility, we do not publish expletives in comments. Thank you, however, for your participation.]

• Andrea Organ wrote on January 23, 2008, 10:00PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  This story is seriously ridiculous! Personally, as a resident of Fort McMurray, I take offence to being referred to as being "blind drunk or high on crystal meth." I have a family and do not work at the oil sands. I feel this article only focuses on the negatives, which are in EVERY city. And seriously....140 miles an hour! My CAR (not SUV or hummer or truck) doesn't even go that fast!

• L Jensen-Woodhouse wrote on January 24, 2008, 06:08PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  I wish that when an article about Fort McMurray is written that, just once, a writer could get the facts correct. Then, perhaps, an interesting discussion about this region and its pros/cons could ensue.

  Unfortunately, Andrew Nikiforuk has missed the mark on many, many points in this story. Too bad.

  On the other hand, I believe that much of what he has written was relevant; but so much was "out to left field" that you can't take him or his article seriously.

  I wish that a writer could come to town and spend some time with the geniune residents of Fort McMurray (not camp workers etc) and get our points of view.

  I would look forward to reading that article.

  I guess the only good thing about this article is that, yet again, the dangers (though completely misdescribed) of highway 63 are being highlighted.

  Perhaps this very negative article can put the pressure on to the provincial government (Ed Stelmach) to step up and twin the highway for all of our safety.

  And while we are at it; perhaps the provincial government could release some more land so that the housing market can catch up and prices will be more affordable.

  Almost every problem in this region has been caused by inaction by the provincial government (the sewage treatment plant, the highway, the housing crunch etc.)

• Vanessa Gammel wrote on January 25, 2008, 08:11PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Overall the scientific stuff is pretty accurate but the author has exaggerated the conditions of the city of Fort McMurray and the people. There are indeed alot of commuters and camp workers that live in this area but the majority of reisdents are here with families. This city is the source of great opportunities for many people. Families from all over the world have relocated here for the multitude of jobs, but also for the nice community. Shock to most who have never been here but there is actually a strong community of young families and lots of resources and thing for children and families to do. The surrounding forests are beautiful and there are hundreds of forested walking trails that link neighborhoods throughout the city. We do not wake up to the smell of the mines or see the open pits from our homes. You need to drive about 45 minutes to get there. And highway 63 is a crappy highway with people driving recklessly but 140 mph? Seriously? Not likley as that is 225 kmh - my car can't go that fast. Oh asnd the references to the Casino & bars... all towns have those its not like that is unique to here. I know many people who have never set foot in either type of establishment here. Fort McMurray is definitley all about the Oil Sands, but it is not all about drugs, young men or gambling. The town is 52% men & 48% women - not that big of a difference. Families are moving here all the time (not just men) and that is proved by the schools that are over capacity in every neighbourhood in town - and the plans to build several more int he next few years. There are 2 huge new sports facilities being built as we speak. I know this site is an environmental site so a reporter won't be highlighting any of the great things here so I'm glad a few of us could balance out that part of the lopsided article.

• Cynthia Linton wrote on February 03, 2008, 10:07AM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  This is a terrific story. I was doing research on tar sands for my blog, EarthlingAngst, and found your account so compelling I'm linking to it. Tars sands are an ecological disaster. We should instead be ending our addiction to oil and ramping up development of clean energies, like wind and solar, ending waste and driving electric cars.

• BC in FortMac$$ wrote on March 24, 2008, 07:03PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Most comments have 'conveniently' avoided the 'environmental issues'.

  Ever heard the old saying... reserve judgement until you hear all sides to an issue? I don't say there is no damage to the environment, just do a little more research before forming a final opinion.

  I originate from NW BC (environmentalists & land claims). For many years I agreed with both of these issues, however, when the majority of the 'squawkers' are comfortable with their good industrial job, professional incomes and/or government handouts, then I begin to question the validity of their arguements. All my life I have seen a small group of mutually patronizing workers horde the best jobs and the best wages in the industrial sector. If you don't kiss the right ass or adopt the right set of values, regardless if they are true or not, then you don't 'fit in'. Society has always accepted a degree of polution, etc so that these few 'advantaged' worker could have a good life. I say horrah for Alberta and the oilsands for creating an environment where virtually any physically capable person (not Indian/Native, not female, not married w/children, not boss-ass-kisser, not... etc) can have a job and a future in this modern (money driven) society. If you don't like it, and you want my support, then create a 'perfect world' where none of these unjust advantages exist. Until then... SHUT UP!

• BC in FtMac$$ wrote on March 24, 2008, 07:39PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Regarding Hwy63: Yes... 140MPH (not KMH).

  The author is high-lighting a single headline for an individual who was charged by police in 2005? 2006? The driver in question was not only charged with speeding but also a range of other more serious charges (public endangerment?... dangerous driving!...) and lost his license for several years (10?15? I believe it was 10). The author's 140MPH statement is just as true as it is to say that a lottery ticket is a good retirement investment!

  Additionally, the authorities have dealt so seriously with all 'extreme drivers' that this 'exceptional minority' risk not only life & limb when they offend, but also some very extreme charges ranging well beyond a speeding ticket. Regardless, if you have a choice, don't travel Hwy63 on Thursday & Sunday nights.

  In my experience of 7 years with Hwy63 I believe it is safe to say that Hwy63 is mainly a shame to the credit of the Alberta government. However, in their defense, I have also heard the stories of the original oilfields development plans which resulted in significant preparational expense for the Wood Buffalo Region in anticipation... and then much of the development was scaled back/shelved. I do not know the details so I can only guess whether the Alberta government now was worried that the US might get back into bed with the Middle East and then 'shelve' FtMac for another 25-30 years. They would look pretty stupid spending the money for the road, etc. if the development had exploded for a few years and then stopped.

  My personal opinion... the government waited too long and killed several people in the process.

• Rick wrote on May 01, 2008, 05:37AM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Well he understated the cost of a 3 bedroom house. You pay that much for a friggen single wide trailer. The place is a black hole!

• Ormond Otvos wrote on June 04, 2008, 02:44PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Note that the complainers about the article NEVER mention the environmental destruction, global warming, pollution or waste.

  As the Nikiforuk states, they're destroying boreal forest to use up a clean source of energy to produce an extremely dirty one.

  But that can't get into the consciousness of the wage slaves who suck at the nipple of money from energy from wasteful lifestyles.

  We're doomed by denial of reality.

  Enjoy your lifestyle in the frozen North.

• Linda Navroth wrote on June 30, 2008, 05:03PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  I am absolutely sick after reading this. It has hastened my resolve to get rid of my car and use my bike and public transporation so I will no longer contribute to this shameful and evil waste of life and land. Every time I turn around I am made aware of the pillaging of the earth in pursuit of coal or oil. We are going to bury ourselves if we do not free ourselves from the clutches of fossil fuels. Biofuels are not the answer either. It's solar or nothing in my opinion. The only clean source out there right now.

• Heather wrote on July 05, 2008, 04:51PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  What a nightmare. How can they not see the distruction and enviornmenatl mess this is causing. All the money in the world wont help you when the enviornment is shot and there are floods and fires and everything that goes along with it. This is pusing us real fast to a Mad Max and Waterworld existance.

• Anonymous User wrote on July 24, 2008, 05:29PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  What a bunch of whiney crybaby people.

  Instead of reading articles like this why not actually get off your duffs and go look at the area.

  Sure the trees and overburder is removed, so what. Give me a break more damage happens every day in downtown TO with all the cars and coal fired generators needed to keep the sespool going.

  Please look at your own crap before whining about something that is the equivalent of a pimple on Albertas backside.

• Meany wrote on July 24, 2008, 06:34PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  What I find saddest about this is that it doesn't have to be this way.

  If we take the time to do this right, we can develop this resource in a manner that is responsible, that won't leave millions of km's of land a toxic waste dump, and millions of liters of water a swamp of cancer causing chemicals. Problem is no one cares. All they care about is money money money. If it decreases your ROI by 10% to do it in a manner that respects the environment, then they won't do it. Sad.

• Raul Gomez wrote on August 09, 2008, 09:57PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Overstimulated humanity run amuck here. These corporate types and blinded by money politicos who oversee these operations should be made to swim in these tailing ponds each morning before going off to do whatever it is they do . That said, I'll think twice before starting my gas burner or pressing on the accelerator. Good God people!

• Donna wrote on September 08, 2008, 10:23PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  As for global warming-Fort McMurray could use a temperature rise. And for all you "environmentalists" give it a rest, not even you are willing to give up your cars, boats, planes and trains and walk or ride a horse everywhere so I say produce more oil so I can drive my Jaguar, and fly the small plane I am going to buy. We should also remove the border between Canada and the United States so we can all enjoy places like California more often and not have to worry about heating our homes with natural gas & oil. How's that sound? The rising temperature in the earth has to do with where the solar system is in revolution within our Milky Way Galaxy, man is simply too small and too insignificant to warm the temperature of the earth one millionth of pne half of a degree. So give it up and stop lying to us!

• Donna wrote on September 08, 2008, 10:35PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  And YES, I was only in Fort McMurray for a couple of hours waiting at the Greyhound and I saw three "crackheads" blasted out of their minds stumble past the bus station making bizarre body movements and talking weird, if I had had my camera I was going to take a small video clip and post it on u-tube with the heading "this is Fort McMurray"! I will have my camera ready next time I go up that way to work.

• Avenir 22 wrote on October 20, 2008, 01:31PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  I support enterely this article - Tars sands exploitation is a mess, a truely threat that we impose to our Earth!

  Oil companies are just disgusting and don't care at all about what's happen now in the Earth with global warming and the fall of natural resources! They use water, water and water and they pollute everything! We can't permit that, just in consideration of our future! How can we use natural resources just for oil or make money? How can we insure a future without water?? I'm really angry! People just care about money from destruction.

  I studied during more than 10 years in environment and ecology and for me it's the first time in my life I see too much destruction just for oil. What is the meaning of that? Where are human and environmental values? People are just crazy and lost in this times of earth, particularity in Fort McMurray. What will happen after that in this destructed area?

  We must close this area to protect the last parts of our environment for our next generations! I hope we will do that! People will find cleaner work in other places and will stop to shit on the Earth! Go back to school and protect the planet! You don't care about forests...? We don't care about your oil and your money!

• M wrote on January 23, 2009, 04:40PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Having knowledge about the consequences of the irresponsible use of the land and corrupting forever the very resources of our very existence has illuded the persons commenting only on the part of the article that deals with speeding drivers and bars. The real issues are what are we to do when the water that you drink causes cancer to all surrounding the area. Or when everything in the area is decimated and uninhabitable and conditions IRREVERSIBLE. Not to mention when all living natural habitat is effectively decimated. How about when global warming causes climate to change because of gasses in the earth's atmosphere causing havoc. How about looking past five minutes from now and looking at the BIG PICTURE. The Canadian goverment is only concerned with making the bucks and does not know how to control the behemoth monster that it has allowed to grow and destroy. They don't care who it takes down with them. They figure they will be out of office as things get progressively worse and conditions become more and more dire. THE PROBLEMS AND CRITICALLY FRIGHTENING CONDITIONS WILL COME TO HEAD AND ALL INVOLVED WON'T HAVE ANY SOLVABLE RECOURSE.

• bh05gc wrote on January 31, 2009, 01:51PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  This was certainly an interesting article. It paints a much different picture than what was presented on http://oilsands.alberta.ca/

  I am guessing there is some exaggeration by the other... surely the highways are not death races and junkies don't roam the streets like zombies, but he does present a lot of interesting information about the toxic tailings ponds and the potential impact to water for all of Alberta. I'm not opposed to these oil projects, but there shouldn't be this massive rush to ramp up production.

  Lets take it slow; the oil isn't going anywhere!

• Jim wrote on March 10, 2009, 12:22PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  Typical article of people who dont know the city. It reminds me of the 500 birds killed in the recycle pond - every newspaper reported this environmental disaster - none said that the usual kill was about 20 year, and this was a first (and probably never reoccur). What about the 6000 killed each year by Toronto Skyscrapers, the 150,000 by our pet cats, the millions by cars. Windturbines kill over 100,000 a year.
  I lived there for 25 years, and with the exception of the short booms, thought it was a clean fantastic place to be..
  140km was the fast traffic, most at about 120km - how does this compare to the madness on the 401. Also the air is cleaner than our biggest cities.

• Gary Crethers wrote on March 29, 2009, 03:32AM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  I just read this article after reading the Wikipedia article, almost day and night. One focused on the technical aspects of generating the sand oil and the other on the environmental impact.
  The Canadian government seems to have a black eye here allowing almost unrestricted development for the sake of becoming the number one source of oil for the USA. Part of the problem may have to do with the Free Trade Agreement, partly to the greed of the Canadian government which seems to be gaining large tax benefits and partly to the producers themselves who are not doing the responsible thing and taking into account the long term effects of the environmental devastation. I am sure the American demand for oil is just as much a culprit as the American demand for drugs is a culprit with regards to the Mexican drug wars. We need to look to our out of control consumption habits and hopefully the Cap and Trade policy of Obama's will become law and we will start to participate in the world effort to combat global warming.

• john s. wrote on April 04, 2009, 08:13PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  your wondering how our politicians allow this to continue out of control..... watch the movie "zeitgeist", it's online @ youtube , it will be the most enlightening 2 hours of your life

• Chuck wrote on May 29, 2009, 11:22AM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  The Athabasca River cuts through the oil sand deposit and in many places in the river's banks you can see oil seeping out. So yes, there is some oil going into the river and it's a natural occurring phenomenon. Bear this in mind when people moan and groan about oil in the water.

• Fmworker wrote on September 10, 2009, 04:40PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  I would like to know where the author of this article is from. He talks about the destruction of land. Which is true. However, how much land has been destroyed to make way for cities like New York, LA, Chicago,Toronto, and the list goes on. That land will NEVER be recovered. How much waste do these major cities produce? The greenhouse emissions from the oilsands pale in comparison to the coal burning power plants in the US and industry in china and other countries. I have traveled throughout north America and Europe. Fort mcmurray is much cleaner than most areas. I have lived in Fort mac for years now. I have never woken up to the smell of the tar sands. Like ANY city we have our challenges. For some reason ours are looked upon as evil. I like it here, so please get facts straight and talk to the residents of this city before printing your bias story. We are not all crack heads. Is everyone in Chicago a gangster? Is everyone in New York a murderer?

• The Mafia Man wrote on September 14, 2009, 04:18PM : Flag this comment as inappropriate

  As an US> citizen I am 'dam' glad that this unholy mess is in Canada and not in the USA> If you Canidans did not want all of that $$ from the oil, you would not be 'Mother' to that mess. Your 'Greed' is what is driving this. Enjoy it, and what comes with it, forever!! We are just doing you a favor by using your product and paying for it with the cash that you so desperatly think that you need. You own it, so you live with it. "The Mafia Man"