Protests, protests, and more protests. As it become clearer that the pipeline will inevitably be passed by the Senate and House, big name celebrities and common citizens alike are standing up against the XL Keystone pipeline. Not only in the US, but in Canada, there is more and more civil unrest regarding this project. Newspapers are beginning to cover large celebrity protests in addition to the usual civilian protests as the decision nears closing, and government officials in Ottawa and Washington alike are getting upset. They point to the merits of the pipeline, just as they always do, and the other side points to the problems. There is not going to be a public shift to support anytime soon (or ever, perhaps) as protests continue both in favor and in opposition to the pipeline.

This is the first week where a news source, in this case the LA Times, has acknowledged the inevitability of the pipeline construction and taken a step back to look at the ruckus it has created. The arguments for and against the pipeline continue in a vicious circle and there is no real merited debate anymore, it seems. The LA Times cites the protests of Hollywood and Canadian celebrities against the pipeline and gives a nod to the politicians, giving a well-rounded account of the protests this week. The Montreal Gazette also gives a similar account, although it seems to side with the Canadian government and its concerns rather than the protesters. It mentions job creation as well as environmental safety briefly, just as every story seems to. The Canadian version of the debate seems to be a bit mellower than the US version, though, as debates heat up in both countries.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Keystone+pipeline+proposal+pumps+more+controversy/5445593/story.html

http://www.latimes.com/sns-rt-canada-oilsands-correcteds1e78m0oz-20110923,0,404734.story