Fossil Policies

Despite Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s claim that Canada is an energy superpower, our national debate over energy policy has been remarkably feeble, too often resembling a simple morality play of greens against the oil industry or a grudge match between East and West. Canada, like other countries, must move to a greener energy policy, but our unique challenge is to do so while coming to terms with the opportunities and risks of the oil sands—our globally significant resource. The issues go well beyond the environmental to include some basic questions regarding Canada’s fiscal arrangements and economic policies. Our national unity will depend on achieving a measure of consensus on these issues, which will not be easy. However, the speed of development of the oil sands makes a serious national debate urgent.

The books under review can help frame our debate. Vaclav Smil’s Energy Myths and Realities: Bringing Science to the Energy Policy Debate and Energy...