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But Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government responded by launching an international lobbying and marketing campaign, in partnership with industry and the Alberta government, to promote the oil sands industry abroad and counter foreign environmental policies that target the sector’s footprint on the atmosphere.

Internal federal documents have concluded oil sands production is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.

Scientists and governments from around the world say all sources of the heat-trapping emissions must be dramatically reduced to avoid potentially irreversible changes to the planet’s ecosystems, atmosphere and the global economy from climate change.

Meantime, the Canadian Energy Research Institute, a government-funded think-tank, has estimated that the oilsands sector is responsible for more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in Canada, and will contribute more than $1.7-trillion to the country’s economy over the next 25 years. But the institute’s research has been challenged by some economists, including former Insurance Corporation of British Columbia president Robyn Allan, who have argued this analysis doesn’t adequately consider the impact of fluctuations of the Canadian dollar or oil prices, among other factors.

Forest Ethics Advocacy said that its own analysis on ownership demonstrates that recent efforts by Harper’s government to weaken Canada’s environmental protection laws and speed up approval of industrial projects are not in the national interest.

“Since the beginning of the year, our federal government has either cut or gutted every piece of environmental legislation designed to protect our land, air, and water while aggressively pushing for the expansion of the tar sands and the building of new pipelines, such as the controversial Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and supertanker project,” concluded the report. “Harper has claimed to do this in the name of Canada’s national interest while attacking anyone who disagrees.”