I was mailed and reco’d the link to this report earlier today by A. Person (far too well known in certain circles to be named here) who happens to be a friend of Terry Karl’s. I’m glad I got the link too because it’s a very perceptive piece from a peer-respected expert on the subject. Recommended reading for The Great White North, for LatAm watchers and OPEC-watchers too, as the effects of low oil prices on Venezuela, Russia, Saudi Arabia and OPEC in general are also in focus during this Q&A. Here’s how it starts:
What do the plummeting oil prices tell us not only about our near term economic future in Canada, but the political fragility of the world’s petro states?If Canada fully joins the petro state club, as our prime minister and his party desire, is oil’s volatility just the cost of doing business, or a threat to our nation’s well-being?The ideal person to ask is Terry Lynn Karl, one of North America’s foremost experts on the politics of oil. The Tyee recently caught up with Karl, who teaches at Stanford University and lives in San Francisco.
whole thing here. Very good stuff.