Anti-Keystone XL Actions Target TransCanada

The current round of protests against the Keystone XL show that popular actions are a real threat, even to a corporate giant. The latest pressure campaign is targeting the builders of the infamous Keystone XL. TransCanada Pipelines have been selected to build the Keystone XL which is supposed to ferry tar sands from Alberta to Texas. The week of actions is being called “Stop Tar Sands Profiteers.”  It starts on March 16th and runs until March 23rd.

This campaign is being led by a group that calls itself “Tar Sands Blockade.” This is an open grassroots organization composed of people from across North America. This group has been behind more than 38 peaceful direct actions designed to stop the Keystone XL pipeline.

To execute this event, Tar Sands Blockade joined with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Despite their differences all of those involved are united by the understanding that the extraction of tar sands in Canada is “game over” for the climate.

Starting on Saturday, Tar Sands Blockade is coordinating grassroots actions across Texas and Oklahoma and solidarity support actions are scheduled to take place all through North America. The organizers of this action have called on people to hold solidarity actions at TransCanada’s offices or at the offices of one of their investors.

These protests may affect the company’s operations and diminish shareholder value.

With hundreds of actions scheduled to take place all across North America, the impacts will be felt on TransCanada’s operations far removed from the Keystone XL.

TransCanada’s shale gas exports in BC alone are valued at almost 10 billion, that is 3 billion more than the Keystone XL pipeline.

With 30 billion worth of projects in the works over the next few years, TransCanada will have to analyze the material risk to the company’s entire operation for what amounts to less than one quarter of the firm’s business.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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