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Canada: A rare mix of oil and press freedoms

February 2nd, 2012  |  By: Kathryn

Reporters Without Borders has released its annual “World Press Freedom Index” and guess what? It turns out that the world’s biggest conflict oil countries aren’t too big on freedom of the press.

We might as well start at the bottom — since that’s where you’ll find most of OPEC’s big producers. Out of 179 countries measured, here’s the stellar rankings of those OPEC countries the anti-ethical-oil lobby is always, in effect, helping out:

Iran = 175th.

Saudi Arabia 158th

Libya = 155

Iraq = 152

Angola = 132

Nigeria = 126

Algeria = 122

Venezuela = 117

Qatar = 114

United Arab Emirates = 112

Ecuador = 104

Kuwait = 78

And Canada?

Tenth.

Canada is the tenth freest country for journalists in the world — and the freest in the entire Western Hemisphere. Compared to the world’s other major oil exporters, it’s not even close.

Of course that means that journalists and writers and activists can pretty much say whatever they like about our government, our policies, our politicians, and our oil industry, without having to worry about being punished, or imprisoned, or murdered — as happens in Russia (a non-OPEC country, but a major oil producer that ranks just as dismally, at 142nd of 179).

That’s something we should be very proud of. It’s just one of the many reasons we’re so much more ethical than most other oil exporting nations. But it’s also something to keep in mind when you see anti-oil activists and writers directing so much of their energy towards attacking Canada. Under regimes where the state runs the oil industry, and it’s dangerous to criticize the state, it’s simply not safe for crusading journalists and mouthy opinion writers to blast the government and the industry, and expose environmental issues or human rights abuses. Here in Canada, it’s become a virtual industry for some filmmakers and writers to spin wild horror stories about the oil sands. In fact, our governments even give them money to attack our production and policies.

It isn’t just perfectly safe to be a thorn in the side of industry and politicians in Canada; it actually pays to do it. And so Canada —a country with the highest standards for the environment and human rights — is attacked almost daily, while those other oil exporting countries, so shamefully low on the press freedom list, can wreck the environment and ruin people’s lives without having to worry at all about bad publicity.

 

 

  • Disco16.9

    Canadian Oil goes to uphold repressive regime in China. Y U No Care?

    • Borodinalex

      I, too, would rather sell to countries other than China, but I don’t think the main focus of this website is who we will LET buy our oil, but rather who we will let DISRUPT what is clearly a domestic issue in Canada.

  • Kleiniken

    Once again you’ve nailed it! Green activism is more about raising funds and membership that the environment, always has been and always will be. They go after countries like Canada with no real problems as they can fundraise, gain membership and not have to worry about going to jail for there disruptive activities. Green activists don’t do China or Iran, not enough money and too much risk. Instead they target countries like Canada with stellar environmental and human rights records as it’s just alot easier. Hey if you are trying to earn a big paycheck as a green activist go where you get the free publicity and the money.
    Keep up the good work ethical oil I think you have the green hypocrites on the run!

    • Piyush

      In case you didn’t know, you require clean air, water, and food for survival and if you care beyond a quarter of a year [the time window that most corporations can see], say may be a few decades or a generation, you may not show so much hatred to the people who are trying to do something towards these ends.

      It never amazes me to see that environmentalism is as externalized as environmental costs in the so called economy. The people who hate environmentalists are the same ones outsourcing for free the hard work of preserving the environment for themselves and their children. Much of what you are taking for granted has been the result of grass-roots environmental activism, ask yourself the question — did you ever support or participate in any of these while enjoying the fruits of others efforts and sacrifices? These are also the people who often claim to be pro-life but they behave as if they are aliens on the planet. Shouldn’t environment be everyone’s business?

      • Kleiniken

        Environment is everyones business. That is why the Canadian Government is looking after this matter and balancing the needs of the environemnt and the economy. After all clean air is worthless if you die of hunger.
        Not that the green activists care about this they are all about spreading propoganda and lining their pockets with green cash. Not that democratic rights are a concern of theirs either as they attempt to trample on the rights of Canadians all in the name of junk science and tyranny.

        • Jason

          Environment vs. economy is a false dichotomy. According to the International Energy Agency, peak oil has already occurred as early as 2006 and says the transition away from fossil-fuel is the challenge of this century. Oil is a DEAD END.

          Increasing our economic dependence on oil means that we’ll just hit the brick wall that much harder.

        • Piyush

          How much do you think the tar sands oil or any kind of oil is going towards meeting hunger? Do you think people driving 40 miles everyday to sit in an office in front of a computer and taking distant vacations etc is helping in any meaningful way to counter hunger? The economic system powered by fossil fuels is geared towards endless [=mindless] growth in consumption and population, do you believe this will do any good for hunger and starvation in the forseeable future?

          If anything, oil has been responsible for reducing soil fertility and that reduces food security in the long term.

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