It has 7-percent of the world's population and accounts for 20-percent of global GDP. The European Union is an economic juggernaut with clout beyond its borders. Which is why a group of nations that don't even buy Canadian oil have Canada's Oil Sands industry and the federal and Alberta governments so concerned.

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Part One of The Current

Satire

It's Wednesday, February 22nd.

Tomorrow, European Union members are expected to tackle a sticky, troubling, polluting problem.

And after dealing with Dominique Strauss-Kahn, they'll talk about the oil sands.

This is The Current.

European Union on Oil Sands - Radio-Canada Reporter

Tomorrow, European Union members are expected to cast a vote that could have an impact on Canada's oil industry. The EU proposal - if passed - would designate fuel from the oil sands to be more polluting than most sources of oil. No matter what side of the debate you're on, the oil sands are ideal ground for digging-in heels.

Nobel laureates banded together to encourage a ban on oil sands fuel in Europe. Canada hopes to convince EU members to toss out the proposed law, but threatens to lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization if the law passes.

Radio-Canada's Raphaël Bouvier-Auclair has been following this debate. He has just returned from United Kingdom and Belgium. Raphaël Bouvier-Auclair is based in Calgary.

European Union on Oil Sands - Panel

So, is Canada headed towards a trade war with the European Union? To discuss the impact the European vote could have in Canada, we were joined by Jennifer Grant. She is the Oilsands Program Director for The Pembina Institute, a sustainable energy think tank. She was in our Calgary studio. And Jeffrey Sundquist is managing director of the Alberta United Kingdom Office. He was in our London studio.

This half-hour segment was produced by Calgary Network producer, Michael O'Halloran and Edmonton Network Producer, Gillian Rutherford.

Related Links:

• Canada threatens trade war with EU ahead of oilsands vote By: Jason Fekete - Postmedia News
• Fuel for Change: Could Europe's fuel rules force Canada to clean up the oilsands? By: Marc Huot - The Pembina Institute
  
  

Other segments from today's show:

• NDP Leadership Contender: Brian Topp
• Doubting Personal Debt