Oil sands on The Daily Show

Not many people realize that most of America’s imported oil comes from Canada, and the majority of that from the oil sands of Alberta. While the Canadian press provides fairly comprehensive coverage of this key oil source, it’s not a topic that comes up often in the American media.

So it came as a bit of a surprise to me that The Daily Show sent Wyatt Cenac to Alberta to do a segment on Canadian oil production:

Some might question the fact that the piece completely ignores the environmental and climate impact of oil sands production. In fact, it’s really just a vehicle for making fun of Canadians’ easygoing demeanor and enthusiasm for hockey (perhaps the lowest-hanging fruit you’ll find in the comedy world).

But it’s also worth a reminder – The Daily Show is a comedy program, not a news source.