Ethical Oil: The case for Canada's oilsands

On Tuesday my new book, called Ethical Oil: The case for Canada's oilsands, goes on sale in bookstores across Canada. It's also available for pre-orders right now online through Amazon and Chapters.

In Ethical Oil, I make the case for Canada's oilsands from a liberal point of view. Here's why.

We've heard the oilsands called unethical, dirty and even nasty. One propagandist actually called it "blood oil".

But look at the alternatives: oil from places like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nigeria, Venezuela and Sudan. I don't compare the oilsands against some fantasy fuel of the future that is perfect in every way. When someone invents solar-powered airplanes or wind-powered cars, let me know. Until then, let's leave that to science fiction.

Because if the oilsands were to be shut down tomorrow, the United States would simply replace our petroleum with petroleum from somewhere else. Along with the emerging economies of India and China, they're going to fill their gastanks with oil from somewhere.

So if the choice is not between the oilsands and perfection, but between the oilsands and OPEC, we can have a serious discussion.

I'm not going to give anything more away right now -- but I'll link to reviews (both friendly and unfriendly!) in the days and weeks ahead, as well as any TV or radio clips I can find.

It's a change of pace from Shakedown, and I appreciate the support you've shown for that book. I hope you like Ethical Oil, and I hope it helps bring the current debate about Canada's greatest resource up a few notches in seriousness. I know Greenpeace doesn't want to have a serious debate about real alternatives to the oilsands -- it's easier for them to do media stunts in Calgary than in Riyadh or Teheran. But I think the rest of us could profit from a grown-up discussion about the ethics of oil. And I hope it's a fun read, too!

So grab a copy Ethical Oil online now or at a bookstore on Tuesday. And if you can come to my book tour, please do -- I'd love to talk with you more about the book, and sign a copy for you. If you're interested in organizing an event in your community, drop me a line and I'll try to fit it in. We've got to fill in some gaps, especially in the new energy provinces of Atlantic Canada.

Here's my events schedule so far -- see you out there!

Tuesday, September 14, Toronto

7 p.m. Indigo Manulife Centre. Details here.

Thursday, September 16, Winnipeg

7 p.m. Indigo Kenaston Common. Details here.

Friday, September 17, Saskatoon

12 noon McNally Robinson, Details here.

Tuesday, September 21, Toronto

11:45 a.m. Economic Club of Canada, Marriott Toronto Eaton Centre, Details here.

Tuesday, September 21, Calgary

7 p.m. Indigo Signal Hill, Details here.

Thursday, September 23, Edmonton

7 p.m. Indigo South Edmonton, Details here.

Friday, September 24, Vancouver

11:45 a.m. Vancouver Club, Details here.

Tuesday, October 19, Edmonton

12 noon Edmonton Lit Fest, (debate with Satya Das), City Centre Mall. Details here.

Wednesday, October 20, Calgary

5:30 p.m. Calgary Enterprise Forum panel, Calgary Petroleum Club. Details to come.

Saturday, October 23, Ottawa

4 p.m. Ottawa Writers Festival. Details to come.

Saturday, October 30, Ottawa

7 p.m. Crowne Plaza Hotel, tribute dinner with Mark Steyn (non-book tour event). Details here.

Sunday, November 7, Calgary

11 a.m. Pages at the Plaza, The Plaza Theatre (debate with Andrew Nikiforuk). Details here.

Saturday, November 13, Ottawa

Free Thinking Festival. Details to come.

That's it for now -- obviously I'll have a ton of media interviews in there, too, and I'll try to let you know about them, either here on the blog, or on my Twitter page. And you let me know if you want to do an Ethical Oil event where you are!