Quote Originally Posted by Roy Karrde View Post
Are you honestly telling me that with all the environmental concerns in Canada, and all the trouble it would take to convince a native tribe to allow the pipeline through, that Harper wouldn't pay a political price? As you said, that is total gibberish

I would suggest China would be far less likely to allow refined Canadian oil to go to the global market, and more likely to stay within their own country as they grow a greater need for oil.
Yes, I don't think you understand the circumstances. The Harper government is currently immune to criticism outside the judicial arena. A majority federal government is able to do whatever it likes barring judicial restrictions. The notion that having to "convince a native tribe" is something which the federal government has a difficulty in doing is ridiculous - this is how the entire country has been developed over the last 150 years. That is how Canada was built.

Yes, if China's demand is met by refining Albertan crude, then the demand is met. This "helps oil prices" - China does not have infinite demand. If they are refining Canadian crude, this means that they are not demanding other refined sources on the global market (ie. they do not act in a bubble). You speak of allowing "refined Canadian oil to go to the global market" - but this makes no sense.