$$ crisis - forget the environment...

This just in. The Canadian oil industry has decreed that the environment will no longer be a priority issue in the upcoming elections. You'd think that this would take a lot of nerve but the oil industry has never been known for being shy. They've declared themselves and politicians off the hook.

Environment will take back seat to economy, says oil patch czar

CALGARY -- The United States will likely soften its stance on environmental issues tied to the much-criticized oil and gas industry as that country faces tough economic times, according to the new face of Canada's energy lobby organization.

"Soften its stance"? Can it get much softer than it already is?

Dave Collyer, who took the helm of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers last week, on Monday said the all-important U.S. market will put the economy on the top of its priority list rather than the environment.

I'm sure Dave is feeling really terrible about that.

While CAPP represents producers large and small, cleaning up the oil sands' dirty image is a priority.

Of course cleaning up the oil sands is not a priority - just the image.

So both McCain, Harper and who knows else are supposedly off the hook because of the financial crisis. At least that's what the oil industry and their pundits are saying. This article from UPI talks about some of the latest polling which show the environment as the 3rd priority for Canadians (slipping) as if being 3rd in a country with dozens of issues, somehow proves that Canadians no longer care.

But back getting to the bottom line, according to this report from Greenpeace UK, the tar sands are a risky investment. But so were sub-prime mortgages. That never stopped anyone from selling them.