The final installment of History Professor Sean Kheraj’s audio podcast series “Histories of Canadian Environmental Issues” is now available on the NiCHE website. The final episode explores the history of the Alberta tar sands.
Tar Sands in Alberta (ca. 1900-1930).
Source: Library and Archives Canada, 12-2 L.10 A48 (21B).
The exploitation of the northern Alberta tar sands (or bitumen) resource is the most well-known environmental issue in Canada today. Representing both a significant component of the nation’s resource economy, and the single greatest threat to ecosystems across the country, the development of tar sands petroleum in western Canada has contributed to a restructuring of the nation’s political economy, a reconsideration of regulatory legislation and government oversight, and a transformation of the perception of Canada internationally.
This episode features an interview with Dr. Andrew Weaver, a climatologist from University of Victoria and recently elected Green Party of BC Member of the Legislative Assembly. It also includes the plenary session from the 2013 American Society for Environmental History Annual Meeting titled, “The Fossil Fuel Dilemma: Vision, Values, and Technoscience in the Alberta Oil Sands,” featuring Warren Cariou, Sara Dorow, Imre Szeman, and Graeme Wynn.
To listen to this episode, visit: http://niche-canada.org/node/10662
Each episode in the series examines historical perspectives on a number of pertinent environmental issues for Canadians including:
- Climate Change
- Aboriginal Peoples, Health, and Environment;
- The Canadian Environmental Movement, Parts 1 & 2
- Fisheries
- Food and Agriculture, Parts 1 & 2
- Tar Sands
Each episode includes conversations with historians who explore different aspects of these issues in past contexts. Round–table and panel discussions, and interviews will be featured to cover each of these complicated and important environmental issues.