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Originally Posted by aceventura3
If you would like to go into this issue in more detail I am game. Oil sands is controversial. I think much of the "difficulty" is related to political obstacles. I also think traditional oil producing countries manipulate price and production of oil the best they can to limit development of alternatives. Our politicians often play right into this manipulation.
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Of course there are political obstacles. But in the Oil Sands, the biggest challenge is the cost of extraction/production due to the nature of the oil in the sands vs. a well. Only fairly recently has technological developments made it such an attractive place to invest. Even still, it's only when oil prices are above a certain point will it remain so. The margins on oil extraction from "traditional" rigs are much higher than the extraction process from the sands.
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I repeat, I don't think Canada will fail to do what is "right". However, when a nation like China gets resources they are free to use those resources as they see fit. I did not read where Canada made any demands on China to limit "polluting the planet". "Environmentalist" in this country have a voice, they do not have a voice in China. China can smile, make nice, take resources, use those resources within their boarders in ways Canada has no control over. Also, understand that at some point China may have the power to dictate the rules. It is a risk. I am sure you understand that.
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I misunderstood you at first. Canada is relatively unconcerned with what China does with the final product. We're only really concerned with China's operations within our borders. But as supporters of economic freedom, it's not our business how China burns oil. Sure we'd like them to be efficient, but we'd like everyone else to be as well. But look at us: we use obscene amounts of both water and oil ourselves. Per capita, we are far worse than China.
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Pure ego. It is that simple. I like being the best, number one, top dog, control, etc., etc. I do not want China to become the economic equal or superior to the US. I am offended that we let Petro China become bigger than Exxon-Mobil. I want the home team to win.
Canada is like the girl next door. I never did like guys dating the girls that lived next door to me.
Please, don't try to call me names or say how juvenile I am. I already know what I am. I understand what I am. I don't pretend to be something I am not. I am not going to change.
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At least I now know where you stand. I'm not encouraged to ridicule you on your opinion, as you are entitled to it (though your condescending opinion of Canada is a bit disagreeable to my senses). America is Top Dog (economically, anyway) and you want it to stay that way. Unfortunately, it looks like it might not happen. Such is the way of the world. Ask Britain.
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I disagree. When people are free to innovate new technologies naturally emerge. When new technologies are cost effective, the old is replaced by the new. I would argue that China has been primarily taking advantage of technological advances initiated in this country. When was the last time you heard of something "cutting edge" coming out of a communist or a socialist country? Even Israel, for as small as it is generates more technological advances than China.
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This is a bit misleading. China is actually ranked 6th in the world with regard to overall R&D spending. Their R&D expenditures as a % of GDP is low compared to OECD countries, yes, but this will likely improve in the current environment. They are slowly moving away from a Soviet style of research to a more market-based one. This is parallel to what they're doing with their economy. You may not hear much about China's innovations, but they're there, and I'm willing to bet you'll hear about this over the next several years. China's space program was the third in the world to obtain independent human spaceflight capability, behind only the U.S. and the Soviet Union. They also used a surface-fired missile to destroy a satellite, the first time it was attempted/accomplished since the U.S. did it in the '80s. If that's not cutting-edge or innovative, then I don't know what is.
China might seem behind to you, but methinks they're catching up.