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Resource Development (9)
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The Bright LandMorten Parker 1959 30 minThis short documentary from Morten Parker takes audiences on a tour of the islands in the West Indies Federation, circa 1959. While there, we see the various resources of the islands, including sugar, coffee, bananas, oil, and bauxite. -
Engine 371Kevin Langdale 2007 9 minThis animated short looks at the building of Canada's transcontinental railroad with wit and whimsy. Engine 371 illustrates the struggle humans have with nature and how this fundamental tension united a country. A film without words.
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The Hole StoryRichard Desjardins & Robert Monderie 2011 1 h 19 minIn this feature documentary, Richard Desjardins and Robert Monderie continue in the same provocative vein as their earlier Forest Alert, this time turning their lens on Canada's mining industry. Using striking images, rare archival footage and interviews, The Hole Story analyzes company profits and the impact of mining on the environment and workers’ health.
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Real EstateArthur Hammond 1973 28 minThis full-length documentary is the 2nd part of the Corporation, a film series about the inner workings of the Steinberg supermarket chain. This installment looks at the corporation's impact on the environment – the way in which its growth can influence not only where and how people live and work, but also the shape of cities and suburbs. As the corporation's president, Sam Steinberg, reminisces about the company's early seat-of-the-pants expansion, while its executives discuss the logic behind new retail locations.
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Roughnecks: The Story of Oil DrillersGuy L. Coté 1960 21 minThe work of an oil-drilling crew. Audiences will relish this tale of tough roustabouts who bulldoze a wilderness in a push for liquid wealth.
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The Riches of the IndiesIan MacNeill 1958 30 minPart three of New Nation in the West Indies takes stock of the economic situation as it exists in the British West Indies in the year of federation. It visits various islands in the Caribbean and shows the development programs being carried out to stimulate industry and all forms of production. The interest of Canada in helping this new nation achieve a sound economy is made evident in the film.
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Riding the TornadoBob Lower 1986 57 minThis documentary focuses on boom-and-bust economic cycles, most notably that of Alberta oil during the '70s and early '80s. When the bust hit after a drop in world oil prices, those business people who knew how to "ride a tornado" cut their losses and moved on, while others were left devastated. When Newfoundland was faced with a possible oil boom of its own in the mid-'80s, it took the lessons of Alberta to heart. Part 3 of the series, Reckoning: The Political Economy of Canada.
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Super-CompaniesBoyce Richardson 1987 56 minThe super-companies of this film are multi-national corporations that treat the world as one market. They take raw materials from one place, process them in another, and sell them everywhere. Shot on four continents, Super-Companies provides a provocative view of the way our world is being shaped by economic powers that are often at odds with the needs of people.
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The Story of Oil1946 18 minThis short documentary depicts the production of oil in the Turner Valley, in Alberta, from the initial exploration through the use of the finished products. This film is an informative mid-century portrait of the substance that ran so much of the world's daily lives—and still does. Oil men are continually exploring the land with wells that may or may not provide the sought-after substance, while geologists, scientists, and laborers all band together to find oil wherever it may be.
