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Canada's Carbon Capitalism Canada’s Carbon Capitalism: In the Age of Climate Change Matthew Dow A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in Political Science York University Toronto, Ontario November 2019 © Matthew Dow, 2019 Abstract: This historically and critically informed dissertation investigates the question why Canada has become one of the world’s leaders in promoting fossil fuels through its unconventional hydrocarbon industry in spite of the science and growing awareness of climate change. Using a critical historical political economy approach that encompasses both ecological or biophysical scientific realities and historical materialism, I examine this contradictory developmental trajectory as embedded in both the historical structures of everyday life and within Canadian and the wider global political economy. This dissertation argues that Canada’s current situation should be understood in a broader context as a morbid symptom that is embedded within the current global organic and leadership crises, since current leadership appears to support the contradiction of supporting carbon-based globalized social reproduction and preventing climate change. In doing so, this dissertation critiques both fields of international and Canadian political economy for largely sidestepping the importance of energy and energy systems in the production and reproduction of the global political economy. Using the conceptual lenses of carbon capitalism, petro-market civilization, and social reproduction, I demonstrate that energy or energy systems are just as foundational and inseparable from labour, technology, capital and war in the making and remaking of the global political economy. I show how growing energy demand, the peaking of conventional oil, potential energy insecurities, and a debt-based monetary system perpetuates and is dependent on unlimited growth. Moreover, I argue that the Canadian state and economy has become increasingly locked-in by disciplinary neoliberalism and the new constitutionalism – which are reforms, policies and laws that entrench capitalist social reproduction and make it more difficult to alter capitalist patterns of energy-intensive development. As a result, the current world order and global political economy is organized into a vicious cycle of path dependency whereby production and social reproduction require evermore fossil fuels. This could potentially be the largest paradox in human history as climate science suggests that humanity should be attempting to limit the production and consumption of greenhouse gases. I conclude by attempting to create a new pathways and objectives forward for social forces of resistance in current webs of power to form a post-modern prince movement in Canada that would seek to work collectively in rebuilding a new world towards decolonialization, promoting and establishing alternative modes of living and development that will replace the current fossil fuel-based dependency, monetary-debt system, mass consumption, and unlimited growth in Canada. ii Dedication: This dissertation is dedicated to my parents Ron and Lucy Dow, my fiancé Ann Solecki, and our daughter Rosalie. All four of them have my eternal gratitude, respect, and love. iii Acknowledgements: This dissertation may only have one author but this thesis was not conceived of in isolation nor did it come to completion without the fundamental support and encouragement of so many people. To my supervisor Dr. Stephen Gill, written words cannot ever describe my full appreciation for lending me your wisdom, guidance, financial and moral support. You will forever be a huge source of inspiration to me. To Dr. Isabella Bakker thank you so much for incredible feedback and editorial skills in shaping the dissertation. To Dr. Karen Murray thank you too for your insight and providing me the opportunity to present my work in your workshop and class. I would also like to thank Dr. Adam Harmes, Dr. Shannon Bell, and Dr. Stefan Kipfer for not only serving on the examination committee but for thoughtful engagement on how to shape this dissertation for future publication. I would also like to thank all the staff members in the Department of Politics at York University, especially Marlene Quesenberry, for always supporting and helping me navigate through endless bureaucracy. I would like to acknowledge Dr. Gregory Albo, Dr. Jonathan Nitzan, and Dr. Dennis Pilon for helping me shape my ideas in your fantastic courses. To my colleagues, Willifer Jaques, Julian von Bargen, Sam Manley, and Brendan Bruce whose coffee and beer interventions were fundamentally necessary. To my friends, Joanna Tulloch and Max Leighton, Sam and Max Gregory, and Tom Lesson thank you for all for your friendship and meaningful conversations and input. Then there are my two best-friends: Dr. Tim Di Muzio and Adam Burnette. To Tim your mentorship that transformed into friendship has been one of the central building blocks in the making of this thesis. Your thoughtful feedback, our research journeys, and countless conversations will never be forgotten and I look forward to our future research together. To Adam you are my brother and have always reminded me of where I came from and who I am. It is rather ironic that the Bank of Burnette helped fund critical scholarship against his former employer! To my parents Lucy and Ron Dow who continued to push me even when I did not think I had it in me anymore. This thesis is a testament to the virtues and work ethic you both taught me; to always fight the injustices of the world no matter how complicated. I love you both and thank you for everything. Finally, there is my fiancé Ann Solecki and our daughter Rosalie. To Ann thank you for the unfathomable amount of emotional support, I love you so much. To Rosalie your wiggles, giggles, and smiles are always appreciated and loved, thank you baby girl. I hope my research will contribute in some small way to helping save the biosphere, for you Rosalie. iv Table of Contents Abstract: .......................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication: ..................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements: ....................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables: ............................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures: ............................................................................................................................. viii List of Abbreviations Used: ........................................................................................................... ix Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 Theoretical Approach: Critical Historical Political Economy .................................................. 12 Outline and Organization of the Argument: .............................................................................. 21 Methods and Scholarly Contribution: ....................................................................................... 26 Conclusion:................................................................................................................................ 32 Chapter Two: Settler Colonialism and Canadian Political Economy ........................................... 34 Introduction: .............................................................................................................................. 34 Section I: The Specters in Canadian Political Economy ........................................................... 36 Section II: Settler Colonialism as Social Reproduction ............................................................ 46 Section III: The Making of Canada’s Political Economy on ‘Native Land’ ............................. 59 Conclusion:................................................................................................................................ 78 Chapter Three: The Seven Sisters and Petro-Market Civilization ................................................ 80 Introduction: .............................................................................................................................. 80 Section I: The Birth of Canada’s Oil industry........................................................................... 81 Section II: Energy and World Order(s) ..................................................................................... 90 Section III: The Seven Sisters Revisited ................................................................................. 100 Conclusion:.............................................................................................................................. 109 Chapter Four: The Acceleration of Petro-Market Civilization ................................................... 113 Introduction: ............................................................................................................................ 113 Section I: International Political Economy and the Energy Crises ......................................... 116 Section II: Resolution I, The Weapondollar-Petrodollar Coalition........................................
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