CIVIL UNREST ENERGY

It’s a tough job trying to predict what will happen next in the murky political environment swirling around the oil and gas industry. International figures regularly emerge from the sidelines to thwack industry with left-field comments. Wealthy activists fund sophisticated political advocacy campaigns to block market access while oil gets carted to port by rail, leaving prairie grain to lie dormant in massive silos. Quebec’s moratorium on fracking continues. And despite best efforts at building progressive relationships with First Nations, cleavages with government and industry remain.

It’s a tough job trying to predict what will happen next in the murky political environment swirling around the oil and gas industry. International figures regularly emerge from the sidelines to thwack industry with left-field comments. Wealthy activists fund sophisticated political advocacy campaigns to block market access while oil gets carted to port by rail, leaving prairie grain to lie dormant in massive silos. Quebec’s moratorium on fracking continues. And despite best efforts at building progressive relationships with First Nations, cleavages with government and industry remain.