With Oil Comes Influence

Consider the country with the world’s largest proven oil reserves: Saudi Arabia. The largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia is still not particularly large, although it has a strategic position in the heart of the Arab world and borders both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

It also has an enormous cultural importance as the birthplace of Islam and the home of its two holy cities, Mecca and Medina. But its geographical location and its cultural importance pale in comparison to what gives Saudi Arabia worldwide clout. Oil.

262 billion barrels of it. A massive amount and one-quarter of the world’s proven reserves of some 1 trillion barrels. When Saudi Arabia speaks, the world listens. The Saudi ambassador to the United States until 2005, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, held such a close relationship with President Bush he was nicknamed Bandar Bush. The world is addicted to oil and Saudi Arabia is pusher #1.

Consider pusher #2, the country with the world’s second-largest oil reserves: Canada.

The second-largest country in the world (Russia is still number 1, contrary to the belief of many Canadians), Canada is blessed with vast resources, not the least of which is oil: 179 billion barrels of it, or over one sixth of the world’s proven reserves.

We also have iron, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, uranium and many other resources, as well as possibly the world’s largest supply of the most vital resource of all, fresh water. Notably absent on this list of resources is something Saudi Arabia has in abundance: influence. Clout. Or even, as un-Canadian as it is to say it, power.

It’s time to stop screwing around. We are heading for a future where Canada’s resources aren’t just going to be what people want, they’re what people are going to need.

Whether it’s by military force (unlikely), or by subtle influence that counsels separation and division (more likely) or by the skillful slippery funneling of transnational corporations (it’s happening already), there will be those who seek what belongs to Canadians for themselves. After all, where there is treasure, there will be treasure seekers.

Canada’s gold rush days are here again, except this time the stakes are far higher and the treasure isn’t just huge, it’s hugely important. Are we prepared?