At Thanksgiving dinners this weekend in Canada and next month in the United States, chances are that table conversations will at some point spill into a discussion about current events.
Between “pass the cranberry sauce”, wrangling over who gets the wishbone, and getting the latest updates about distant or not-so-distant relatives, energy could be a topic of conversation, especially given recent headlines about the oil sands.
A recent Ipsos Reid poll (PDF) suggests that Canadians are evenly divided on oil sands. Just over half of those surveyed, 51%, believed that the need for energy in Canada outweighs development risks to the environment. The remainder of Canadians, 49%, agreed that environmental risks trump Canada’s need for energy.
Interestingly, the research found that nearly one quarter (22 percent) of Canadians who’ve heard about oil sands either don’t know or don’t care enough to have an opinion on the matter.
When coupled with the proportion who haven’t heard about development, “this amounts to four in ten (42%) Canadians who are either in the dark or indifferent about oil sands, suggesting that further knowledge and awareness of the oil-sands project could tip the scales either way as the debate continues to build in intensity.”
We think it’s time to talk turkey (frankly) about the oil sands. And, when it comes to information, having “all the trimmings” makes for a richer, if not bountiful conversation. That’s why we’re looking for your help. Why not forward OSQAR to your friends and colleagues and encourage them to sign up here? SOr have them email us back at info@osqar.ca and we’ll add them to our list.
Either way, you’ll be thankful you did.
A recent Ipsos Reid poll (PDF) suggests that Canadians are evenly divided on oil sands. Just over half of those surveyed, 51%, believed that the need for energy in Canada outweighs development risks to the environment. The remainder of Canadians, 49%, agreed that environmental risks trump Canada’s need for energy.
Interestingly, the research found that nearly one quarter (22 percent) of Canadians who’ve heard about oil sands either don’t know or don’t care enough to have an opinion on the matter.
When coupled with the proportion who haven’t heard about development, “this amounts to four in ten (42%) Canadians who are either in the dark or indifferent about oil sands, suggesting that further knowledge and awareness of the oil-sands project could tip the scales either way as the debate continues to build in intensity.”
We think it’s time to talk turkey (frankly) about the oil sands. And, when it comes to information, having “all the trimmings” makes for a richer, if not bountiful conversation. That’s why we’re looking for your help. Why not forward OSQAR to your friends and colleagues and encourage them to sign up here? SOr have them email us back at info@osqar.ca and we’ll add them to our list.
Either way, you’ll be thankful you did.
