Canadian Government Increasingly Focusing On Oil, Mineral Exports.

The Washington Post (6/4, Eilperin) reports that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been "rewriting the nation's environmental laws to speed the extraction and export of oil, minerals and other materials to a global market clamoring for Canada's natural resources." During the six years Harper has been prime minister, increasing mineral and oil prices and greater "demand from Asia" mean Canada has "new incentive to tap into its resources, and new technology has made extraction easier." According to Canadian spokesman for the US Christopher Plunkett, "The idea is simple and straightforward: to make Canada the most attractive country in the world for resource investment and development, and to enhance our world-class protection of the environment today for future generations of Canadians."