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For Immediate Release:

Canada’s First Tar Sands Video Game Released TODAY

Tar Nation the game takes-on Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff

OTTAWA, ON – Today the Polaris Institute and Insidious Design are launching
Canada’s first tar sands video game - Tar Nation – to highlight Canadian politicians’
support for the destructive tar sands. The flash driven game is visually set in a tar sands refinery and allows players to spray oil at Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff to get them out of the tar sands.

Included in the game is an electronic letter tool directing players to send emails to the Prime Minister and Michael Ignatieff. “With three times the greenhouse gas emissions as conventional oil, severely damaging environmental and social impacts, and negative economic consequences for other provinces, the tar sands are taking Canada in the wrong direction,” explains Tony Clarke, Executive Director of the Polaris Institute. “All Canadian political leaders have a role to play in this discussion, but right now Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff need the most help in re-thinking their support for the tar sands”.

Tar Nation is being launched today on facebook, online video game sites, and numerous websites including www.tarnation.ca .

“Canadians of all ages increasingly play games and conduct political advocacy online,” says Edward Newell of Insidious Design. “Tar Nation is a new development because it combines the two in a creative and engaging format”.

Play the game online at: www.tarnation.ca

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For more information or to arrange interviews contact:

Joe Cressy, Polaris Institute, 613-668-5542, joecressy@polarisinstitute.org

About the Polaris Institute (www.tarsandswatch.org): The Polaris Institute is a nonpartisan organization engaged in research and advocacy on public policy issues.