Author Archives: Blair

On using chemophobia to try and sell hot dogs

Posted on July 24, 2018 by Blair

As a parent of young kids, in the middle of a hot summer, I am a natural target demographic for hot dog advertisements. My kids love hot dogs and I don’t want to guess how many they have consumed in … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Let’s be clear, the actions of the self-styled “water protectors” will place the Pacific Northwest at greater risk of a major oil spill

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Blair

My Twitter feed erupted this week with the news that protesters, led by Mike Hudema of Greenpeace, had rappelled beneath the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge to block the movement of an oil tanker from the Westridge Marine Terminal. Looking at Mike’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Pipelines, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 25 Comments

On the CCPA’s ridiculous suggestion that price gouging explains BC gasoline prices

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Blair

There has been a lot of misinformation about gasoline prices in the lower mainland but few recent pieces have got the story quite as wrong as the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives‘ (CCPA) take by their economist Marc Lee. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Pipelines, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Debunking another compilation of Trans Mountain pipeline myths

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Blair

I have spent countless hours debunking misinformation about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX) project. I have done so as a pragmatic environmentalist who has spent the time necessary to become informed about the relative risks associated with the project. … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Environmentalism and Ecomodernism, Pipelines, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Yet another carbon bubble paper that misses the mark

Posted on June 5, 2018 by Blair

One of the interesting features of the climate change debate is that many of the highest profile academics in the field are European and many of the papers have what, to outsiders such as myself, might appear to be unconscious … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Pipelines, Renewable Energy, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Some Basic Science about “Toxic Molds”

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Blair

As many of my readers know not only am I a Professional Chemist but my original field of training included Biology and I am also a Registered Professional Biologist. If you read deeply into my resume you will discover a … Continue reading →

Posted in Risk, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

On politicians shading the truth about diluted bitumen

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Blair

One of the most frustrating parts of the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) pipeline debate is dealing with all the misinformation out there. I can’t count the number of people who have assured me that the TMX is only about exporting … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Oil Sands, Pipelines, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 15 Comments

No, the Trudeau government did not ignore the science when approving the Trans Mountain Pipeline

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Blair

As my readers know, I care deeply about the quality of science used in environmental decision-making so the latest anti-pipeline activist meme crossing my desk caught my attention. The meme suggests that the Trudeau government ignored the peer-reviewed science in … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Oil Sands, Pipelines, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

On the bizarre narrative about bitumen being an “inferior” form of crude oil that can’t be sold

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Blair

In the last month a new narrative has arisen in the anti-Trans Mountain pipeline community: that the market for bitumen is non-existent because it is “far inferior to the higher-quality oil” sold in the United States and that due to … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Pipelines, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 29 Comments

On the ridiculous claims that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion will increase Vancouver’s gas prices

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Blair

Last night they had another of the now regular stories on the local news about the rising gasoline prices in the Lower Mainland. On my walk to work today I passed the local Shell station and looked up to see … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Politics, Pipelines, Trans Mountain, Uncategorized | 17 Comments