The rise of Alberta's unapologetic petro-patriots - Macleans.ca

Josh McEwen’s camping trailer attracts stares when he escapes into Alberta’s wilderness. He wants it that way. Campers stop, squint and often remark at the bumper stickers on his trailer and truck—“I love Canadian oil and gas,” with heart and maple leaf emblems. “I’ve had everything from people giving me thumbs up to asking where I got the stickers, the shirts, all the way to ‘I can’t believe you would advertise something like that,’ ” the Calgary petroleum engineer says.

Petro-patriotism has gathered strength in oil country, after five years of economic slump. Albertans have long intertwined their collective identity with their province’s key industry, but have never before worn it on their chests like this. Like any patriotic/nationalistic movement, it identifies external foes: environmentalists and the Trudeau government that have delivered pipeline delays and environmental measures like the carbon tax and an oil tanker ban on the northwest B.C. coast.

Battershill’s not-for-profit Canada Action Coalition strove to combat those ideas. Alongside his online swag shop, he launched Facebook and Twitter accounts in 2013 with memes about various household products made with petrochemicals, highlighting positive aspects of Canada’s environmental record and Quebec’s reliance on foreign oil. “We are so proud of our Olympians, our hockey teams, our national parks,” Battershill says.

When she joined a local pro-pipeline rally, many were baffled to see a New Democrat, she says. “There’s that thinking that you’re either with us or you’re not. There’s no spectrum in between, that people can like the oil industry but also want to see climate action.” Not only did a surprising number of her constituents doubt that carbon pricing would change habits, McCuaig-Boyd says, they also doubted climate science.

Hey let’s keep all the oil jobs. In fact let’s get rid of combines and trackers and give jobs to people who can work the land by hands. Millions more jobs. Hey we could get rid of rail and haul everything by truck. Making more need for oil and produce thousands of more jobs. Etc

PremierScottMoe I love oil and gas AND solar AND wind AND geothermal. Let’s look at everything to find future solutions. We can do great things in Sk. Don’t pick sides.

I pledge allegiance to oil above all else. I love Canada but I love oil more.

Love that T-shirt...

Yes it is. They know they are on the wrong side of the future. The more we kling to old notion such as oil is king, the harder time we will have developing a sustainable future.

Hey ! .. I'll buy that T-shirt and wear it proudly supporting my neighbouring Province. Unlike the corrupt Media outlets that would sell Canadians down the Hwy for a Trudeau pay cheque... exposecorruptmedia

Why can't we refine here?

Not a defensive posture, just proud of our oil sector and those who work in it.

Alta has this all wrong, they’re hell bent on exportation...use that resource to attract business in manufacturing..you know, free heat, low taxes....the way it SHOULD have been from the start. Use your noodle and stop being victims.

Credit the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

NO defence ... We're going on the OFFENCE!!!!

I believe that Canada and Alberta should work together with industry to create new low carbon upgrading. We get $20 barrel more for SCO than for WCS. That's about real long term jobs in Canada. Exporting dilbit should be prohibited as part of climate plan.

I’ll bet the tobacco and asbestos industries wish they could go back in time and get this much support for their poisonous products.

What about all the ppl who would rather ship petroleum products TO Canada from other countries and then truck/rail that across the country, don’t those ppl care about THAT possible spill? Do they only care when it’s an Alberta company spill? No doubt that would make ppl defensive

I love them wish I had one I would wear it proudly

markusoff Cultural Island - Prince's Island Park, Calgary ableg abpoli yyc yyccc

Albertans figured out 'We're Smarter than This' and have bypassed Tzeporah 's nonsense ableg abpoli cdnpoli TarSandsCampaign

Should be able to get the shirts here in Ont two alot of us in Ontario stand with our fellow Canadians

Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

What Elizabeth May wants to do with Canadian oil - Macleans.caThe Green Party leader talks to Paul Wells about oil dependency, her deep disappointment with successive governments on climate change—and how Canada can move to a zero-carbon economy Then there's this. This woman needs a reality check. P_erhaps this might help. Another puff piece on the Greens predicated on the notion that becuase it's 'Green' the plan must be a good one. It's nice some of the questions were asked, but it's the follow-ups that would have been helpful against the spin. Oh a few questions about even 1 other portfolio
Source: macleans - 🏆 19. / 71 Read more »

Trudeau and other world leaders denounce Trump's comments but avoid calling them 'racist' - Macleans.caPolitics Insider for July 16: Election date shuffle, Scheer's Ford problem and why petro-pride is everywhere in Alberta Cowardice in politics isn’t uniquely American
Source: macleans - 🏆 19. / 71 Read more »

Letting kids roam: What's allowed, where, and at what age - Macleans.caLeaving kids unsupervised is a legal grey area. But in some places—like airplane cabins and the parking lots of Quebec—the rules are hard and fast
Source: macleans - 🏆 19. / 71 Read more »

The real election threat is China - Macleans.caTerry Glavin: Ottawa has been focused on cyber-meddling. But consider the case of John McCallum for a glimpse at a more present danger. Keeping in mind within this post, repeated further down, 'nothing illegal' has occurred. Not just in election fraud but in the schools and the media. Screw the Chicoms TerryGlavin It's almost as if McCallum knew that by taking China's side, he would be bidding up his salary as a 'strategic adviser on China trade' lol. cdnpoli elxn43
Source: macleans - 🏆 19. / 71 Read more »

What does it mean to be working class in Canada? - Macleans.caSocio-economic lines are often erased or ignored in Canada. Here's how I came to see my working class roots clearly. Like any other global society, Canadian society indeed differentiates people by their socio-economic status in all walks of life. As this status is defined by one's level of education, occupation, income, etc., inequities in status can't ever be ignored. Working class jobs can pay significantly more than middle class professional careers-so low income is not always a working class characteristic. Skilled trades are a good example of higher paid work.
Source: macleans - 🏆 19. / 71 Read more »

Alberta natural gas producers propose limiting production in exchange for royalty creditsTruce between gas producers and TC Energy comes after months of infighting Seems to me more pipeline space is the answer not limiting production in a market that is far from saturated
Source: nationalpost - 🏆 10. / 80 Read more »