Canadians balk at oil pipelines

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CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Opposition voices to oil pipelines planned from Alberta oil sands to the western coast of Canada are growing louder, a report from Rolling Stone magazine says.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated support for domestic oil pipelines meant for Asian markets as the planned Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to U.S. markets stalls.

Energy companies working in Alberta expect existing pipeline capacity to reach their limits within three years. Keith Stewart, a campaign coordinator for Greenpeace, told the magazine that Alberta "is just like Texas ... except it's landlocked."

Pipeline company Enbridge is working to develop its Northern Gateway pipeline to ports in British Colombia. The provincial premier there, however, has expressed reservations and regional aboriginal communities have sounded alarms over the potential developments.

Gillian McEachern, a director at Environmental Defense Canada, told Rolling Stone that Enbridge can't be trusted given the recent series of oil spills from its U.S. pipeline network.

A tribal chief from British Columbia, however, told the magazine that "Enbridge will never be allowed in our lands."

Enbridge said that safety is its top priority.