Energy Politics

What was to be Stephen Harpers big announcement at the G8, that Canada would declare itself the model of free market energy politics was snuffed out by other international issues. The fact is that the energy marketplace is Alberta not Canada, and while the Harpocrite was lecturing Russia on free market economics, Ralph Klein was touring Americans through the Tar Sands. Neither of these two want a royalty regime that will benefit Canadians though. Ironically Alberta is just like Russia, a one-pipleine state.

One Bulgarian contributor to the study, Ivan Krastev, coined this memorable commentary: "For the last two years Russia completed a spectacular transition from a one-party state to a one-pipeline state.''

Less often quoted is Krastev's conclusion: "The policy consequence of this is that any genuine democratization of Russia is going to be possible only after the liberalization of the Russian energy sector.''

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