Obama to block Keystone oil pipeline

[crazy canuck]

Except that's pretty much TCPL's Plan B - they're already working on a pipeline to BC.

I don't think they're building refineries though - they'll just ship unrefined crude to asia.

They were working on the pipeline regardless of the status of Keystone.  The two pipelines are not at all exclusive.  It is possible, though, that much of the additional Canadian production over what they produce now will have to go to Asia if Keystone isn't built.

Yeah, you are right about that Grumbler.  The pipeline through BC to Kitimat to transport to Asia is a completely different project and being buit by a competitor of TransCanada.   Ironically the rejection of Keystone greatly improves the likelihood of the BC pipeline approval since it will be seen as much more of an economic imperative now that selling into the US has become less certain.

and fyi for all, BC already has a refinery located at a port just outside Vancouver (in Burnaby).  Although it would likely be politically difficult to increase production at that location in order to process the oil from the tar sands.

[Phillip V]

Poll: Public says Keystone XL a jobs win

78 percent of Americans say a pipeline would create a "significant amount of jobs."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72199.html

[Admiral Yi]

Poll: Public says Keystone XL a jobs win

78 percent of Americans say a pipeline would create a "significant amount of jobs."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72199.html

How in the world is this a relevant question for an opinion survey?  The pipeline would either create a lot of jobs or it wouldn't.  The percentage of people who think it would doesn't change anything.

[The Minsky Moment]

Your TV is full of ads for clean coal.

Wouldn't exactly be the first time something stupid was broadcast on American TV.

[sbr]

Poll: Public says Keystone XL a jobs win

78 percent of Americans say a pipeline would create a "significant amount of jobs."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72199.html

How in the world is this a relevant question for an opinion survey?  The pipeline would either create a lot of jobs or it wouldn't.  The percentage of people who think it would doesn't change anything.

And how could it not create some jobs for a period of time.  The question is whether or not those jobs are worth everything else that comes with a pipline.

[The Minsky Moment]

How in the world is this a relevant question for an opinion survey?  The pipeline would either create a lot of jobs or it wouldn't.  The percentage of people who think it would doesn't change anything.

Also - unless the pipeline can build itself, it will by defintion require labor to construct.

[Sheilbh]

How in the world is this a relevant question for an opinion survey?  The pipeline would either create a lot of jobs or it wouldn't.  The percentage of people who think it would doesn't change anything.

You're right.  But it matters for the politics.  That's why it's on Politico not Bloomberg.

[mongers]

Pipelines don't create many jobs and often those aren't suitable for locals anyway; the highly skilled welders will move from job to job around the country/world

[The Minsky Moment]

Welders have to eat.

[Barrister]

Pipelines don't create many jobs and often those aren't suitable for locals anyway; the highly skilled welders will move from job to job around the country/world

Involves a lot of less skilled work too though - all that excavating and trenching.

But I agree the job impact of pipeline construction is going to be fairly small.

[mongers]

Welders have to eat.

Trust me the ones I used to know, got the vast majority of their calories from drinking. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Trust me the ones I used to know, got the vast majority of their calories from drinking. 

The margins on that are even better!

[mongers]

Trust me the ones I used to know, got the vast majority of their calories from drinking. 

The margins on that are even better!

So JR you'd also defend defence spending as an effective job creation scheme, because we're in that territory re multiplier effects.

or with my hippy hat on, public works not war. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Im saying that the proposition that building a giant pipeline generates jobs is a truism.
that in itself it not a reason to do it or not do it.

[mongers]

Im saying that the proposition that building a giant pipeline generates jobs is a truism.
that in itself it not a reason to do it or not do it.

Well that's not saying much is it, we were discussing the how many it might generate.

And indeed you're right it should be a reason at all, but that was the idiotic suggestion from the politician involved.