News Release: “Hands Off Venezuela” recommends nationalization of oil sands development

On September 25, at 7pm, at Holiday Inn Express, 10010-104 Street, Edmonton, the Hands Off Venezuela! (HOV) group will be presenting a recommendation to this public consultation. Hands Off Venezuela! is an international solidarity campaign to spread the truth about Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela. Drawing a parallel on how nationalized oil company in Venezuela has helped many Venezuelans through social programs, we recommend nationalization of oil sands development in Alberta

When oil sands development is motivated only by profits, Albertans will not receive the full value of their resource and development cannot be managed in a responsible manner. Under state ownership and with sufficient public participation of its control, Albertans can ensure that oil sands development is managed in the interest of the owners – the Albertan people – and the results from oil sands development can be re-invested in the community to diversify the economy, manage environmental impact and invest in social programs.

Therefore, at the oil sand public consultations, we will make a recommendation that the Alberta Government begin a process to create a state owned oil company with the participation of communities surrounding and impacted by oil sands development, First Nations representatives, the Alberta Federation of Labour and government representatives. The mandate of this company will be to ensure that Albertans are the major benefactors of any further oil sands development and that environmental and social impacts on Albertans are considered before profits.