Resisting the United States Annexation of Canada: Through Renewable Energy Democracy & Community
The Environment in Canada Podcast, episode 47, on resisting U.S. annexation…
That those most opposed to climate action are also those who want Canada to surrender into becoming the 51st U.S. State is unsurprising. U.S. conquest has usually happened as a result of the influence of oil and gas corporations, the same corporations that have thrown their support behind Trump. The interests of Canadian national sovereignty and those of oil and gas corporations are increasingly going in separate ways.
(FYI following the announcement that the Prime Minister was resigning on Monday January 6th, 2025, Trump doubled down on the idea of annexation).
Oil and gas dependency for energy, transport, and employment exposes us to the whims of hostile leaders like Trump. We must rapidly shift to a community-led renewable economy to secure our independence.
We discuss what you can do to help stand up against annexation (which usually is not framed as ‘annexation’ by those doing it) and why corporate-sponsored climate denial has led us to this point. We also discuss why we need an even more rapid shift to a renewable economy, now more than ever, to remain independent of foreign powers like the United States.
Oil and gas corporations, while only 5% of Canada’s economy, are Canada’s most polluting sector causing around 30% of national emissions. Many of their proposed oil and gas expansion projects in Canada, like East Coast gas export facilities, have no business case unless they also receive huge sums of money from Canadian taxpayers in support and would have no benefit for Canadians.
Unlike renewable energy, fossil fuel projects are hard to localize, meaning the source of the energy you use is not near the site of use and the benefits evaporate into corporate profits. Whether it’s in terms of jobs, transport or electricity reliance on oil and gas makes us vulnerable to foreign powers like the U.S., international markets, and prices set by oil and gas corporations themselves.
Oil and gas corporations have also seen huge profits, over $10 billion in the first half of 2024 alone, while Canadians by contrast are facing hard economic times: For every additional dollar of inflation you pay in Canada [as of 2023], 25 cents of that has gone to oil and gas and mining extraction profits. The majority of those profits go to the richest 1% and very little of those profits end up in things like pension funds.
We talk above about why a renewable revolution led by communities can help us stay independent and why values like environmental protection and corporate pollution regulation matter more now than ever.
You can also find this episode on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, our Youtube Channel, and on our website, as well as many other places you listen to podcasts. The Environment in Canada Podcast is additionally broadcast by-weekly on CKUT radio in Montréal (90.3 FM) and on CHMA radio in Sackville New Brunswick on Saturdays at 11am Atlantic Daylight Time.
Find other podcasts that go in to detail on these issues or where we discuss them with experts here:
- How to talk more effectively on issues like climate change with others.
- How the emissions cap will not hurt the Canadian economy but oil and gas dependency is hurting it.
- Where Canada is on Renewable Energy and Jobs.
- Renewable Reliability.
- On oil and gas lobbyists’ actions.
- On climate impacts in Canada and the connection to the actions of oil and gas corporations.
Find more information on the approach of peaceful full spectrum resistance.
Find independent media sources.
Our podcast on tips for preparing for food insecurity ahead of a crisis in your community.
