Neil Young vs. Canadian Tar Sands

Neil Young kicked off his four-date “Honour the Treaties” tour of Canada on Sunday January 12, 2014 with some fighting words about the rapid expansion of oilsands development in northern Alberta, saying the Canadian government is ignoring hard science because it’s “inconvenient.” MORE HERE

Prime Minister Stephen Harper spokesman Jason MacDonald countered in a statement that the natural resources sector was a “fundamental part of our country’s economy.” MacDonald continued that “the lifestyle of a rock star relies, to some degree, on the resources developed by thousands of hard-working Canadians every day.”

In a statement Monday January 13, 2014, Young replied that his issue was with the government “breaking treaties with the First Nation and plundering the natural resources the First Nation has rights to under the treaties.”

The 68-year-old also added that “rock stars don’t need oil” and pointed out that he drove his electric car from California to the oil sands and on to Washington “without using any oil at all.”

“And I’m a rock star,” continued the Toronto-born guitarist. “My car’s generator runs on biomass, one of several future fuels Canada should be developing for the post-fossil fuel age.” MORE HERE

Full Video HERE

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