The dramatic transformation of Fort McMurray from trading post to petroleum hub has been as rapid and radical as any on the continent, and it has followed the manic-depressive pattern of all petroleum boom towns before it.
-- John Vaillant (chapter 3 paragraph N/A)

Importance: This quotation underscores the fact that Fort McMurray is no exception to petroleum history. The town is anything but stable.

When the price of oil drops, so does the Canadian dollar, a fact that has drawn stinging comparisons to petro-states like Nigeria and Venezuela.
-- John Vaillant (chapter 4 paragraph N/A)

Importance: Here, the author points out Canada's inherent vulnerability. No other Group of 7 country relies so heavily on the daily petroleum price.

Due to a combination of rugged conditions, high wages, and the fact that burning petroleum represents a kind of local virtue, truck and ATV sales are noticeably higher in Fort McMurray than in other comparably sized Canadian cities, but so are rates of assault, spousal abuse, drug abuse...
-- John Vaillant (chapter 4 paragraph N/A)