Absolutely amazing in scope and complexity, the oilsands region of Northern Alberta represent the second largest reserves of oil in the world, after Saudi Arabia. Love em or hate em, they are a major source of the fuel that powers the modern world. If you "love em", maybe this is a better option that propping up mid-east puppet regimes. If you "hate em", maybe the answer is to push for more sustainable sources of energy or to steadily withdraw from your (our) oil addiction.