Court hears final arguments in Syncrude trial

A lawyer for Syncrude says charges faced by the oil sands giant over 1,600 dead ducks on its tailing pond are a cheap shot and a gross overreaction by prosecutors.

Robert White also argued Wednesday that a guilty verdict would threaten the very foundation of business in Alberta.

He said in his final arguments before Judge Ken Tjosvold that the matter should have been handled at the provincial level – with fines – if Syncrude indeed violated its regulatory agreement with the government in the duck deaths.

And, he argued, the federal charge under Canada's Migratory Bird Act, if enforced to its draconian letter, would shut down the tailings ponds because it carries zero tolerance on bird deaths – whether it's one or 1,600.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/court-hears-final-arguments-in-syncrude-trial/article1566630/
So it is being pointed out that Obama has an interest in this.