Also today, our project Game Changer is tracking the political and judicial treatment of big oil in Latin America. From an oil spill off the coast of Brazil to a multi-billion dollar judgment in Ecuador, each involving Chevron and each sending a message about environmental culpability.

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Part Three of The Current

Chevron oil spills in Latin America - Reporter Jeb Blount

People in Latin America may depend on Chevron to find the oil that fuels their cars and cools their homes. But for many people, the Chevron name is mostly associated with legal and environmental chaos. We aired an early news report of the November 7th oil spill that leaked at least three thousand barrels of oil into the Atlantic near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Chevron faces multi-million dollar fines for the spill, and has been banned from drilling by Brazilian regulators from drilling until an investigation is complete. Jeb Blount is a reporter for the Reuters News Agency. He was in Rio de Janeiro.

Chevron oil spills in Latin America - Lawyer Aaron Page

If you caught the golf tournament with Tiger Woods on the weekend you might have noticed it was the Tiger Woods - hosted Chevron World Challenge golf tournament. Two environmental groups sent up a plane to fly over the vicinity, they were trailing a banner Chevron to: Clean Up Your Toxic Mess in Ecuador. That's a reference to an ongoing controversy in the South American country.

In February, an Ecuadorian court ruled against the company, following an eight year trial. The case involved the contamination of a large swath of rainforest in the Amazon region of Ecuador. Chevron was found guilty and ordered to pay 18.2 Billion dollars in damages. The company is appealing.

We requested an interview with the CEO of Chevron, John Watson. He declined. No other spokesperson for Chevron was available.

Aaron Page is one of the lawyers representing the more than 30-thousand indigenous plaintiffs from Ecuador in the lawsuit against Chevron. He was in Washington, D.C.

Chevron operates around the world. In Canada, Chevron has interests in the oil sands and shale gas projects in Alberta. It also has exploration and development projects in the Atlantic, and exploration and resource interests in the Mackenzie Delta and Beaufort Sea.

Related Links:

• Chevron Appeals Ecuador Judgment - Chevron
• Chevron Was 'Irresponsible' in Oil Leak, Rio Governor Says By: Fabiola Moura - Bloomberg

Last Word - Thursday Call-in Promo

Tomorrow, we' re opening our phone lines for a national call-in Edition of The Current. We received such an overwhelming response to our program last week about being poor hosted by poet Lorna Crozier that we've invited her back and we will also have Rob Rainer, Executive Director of Canada Without Poverty in studio taking your calls. We'd like you to tell us your stories -- What is it like being poor in Canada? Tune in tomorrow and check out our website for more information.

Other segments from today's show:

• Parental Abduction
• Niall Ferguson: The West and the Rest