Most Energy in Canada Comes from Hydroelectricity, So Why Are We Soiling our Nest with the Tar Sands?

Much chit-chat this morning on Radio Can about an interactive map which gives the location of renewable energy producers in  Quebec. Rather interesting, although it's clear that most installations are hydroelectric, which means that  unless there's a major shift to electric cars, buses and trains, isn't going to have much impact on fossil fuel consumption for transportation.

That becomes even clearer if you take a look at an interesting news analysis by Elisabeth Rosenthal in The New York Times. According to a side bar to the story, 63 per cent of Canada's energy consumption is from renewable and 93 per cent of that comes from hydroelectricity.

In comparison, only 13 per cent of the energy consumed in the US is from renewable sources, and the States are where Canada's energy bosses (i.e. the Harperites) want to sell the tar sands oil.  In other words, we're soiling our nest in order to keep America rolling.  Wouldn't it be better for us all if they started  to conserve more and consume less?