Opinion

The Tar Sands, Downstream

Cancer, and the BC connection.

By Blair Redlin and Caelie Frampton, 20 May 2008, TheTyee.ca

Tar Sands - Fort Chipewyan

Who pays price of pollution? Photo C. Frampton.

When 500 ducks died earlier this month after landing on a tar sands tailings pond, Canadians got a glimpse into how unfettered tar sands development is taking its toll.

Members of the Mikisew Cree and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations living downstream from the massive industrial projects have been feeling the effects for a lot longer.

The backyard of the tiny community of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta contains the second largest reserve of petroleum in the world. The tar sands development is Canada's fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions, the cause of rapid pollution of the Athabasca river basin, the reason for strip mining of thousands of square kilometres of boreal forest; a huge consumer of natural gas, and the likely cause of alarming rates of cancer in nearby Cree communities.

Bad water in Fort Chip

Lake Athabasca has been a source of drinking water and food for the First Nations living on its shores for centuries. Fort Chipewyan, on the southwest corner of the lake is home to 1,200 people. Currently, the community extracts its drinking water from the Athabasca which is located downstream from the major tar sands plants.

Residue from the oil sands, what the oil companies call "process water," is being pumped into the river. Under provincial regulations, Suncor alone is allowed to discharge up to 150 kilograms each day of oil and grease into the Athabasca.

Visiting British Columbians were told first hand by Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation about the plague of unusual cancers that are afflicting the community of Fort Chipewyan. An independent scientific study by the Athabasca First Nation confirms the presence of elevated levels of arsenic and mercury in the water and wildlife. Twelve residents of the tiny community of Fort Chip have died so far in 2008 alone.

Despite alarm bells raised by local doctor John O'Connor in 2006, the federal and provincial governments have still not launched a baseline epidemiological study. The cumulative impact of this development is unknown. We were also told that the effects from Syncrude and Suncor were minimal when there were just the two plants in the area in the 1980's. Now there are five up and running and the cumulative impacts are picking up. Chief Allan Adam asked: "What's going to happen when all 21 (proposed plants) are up and running?"

Nor has there been any effort to move the water intake pipe for Fort Chipewyan to an inland lake. It was explained to us that it would be relatively easy and affordable to build a water pipe to the community from a nearby lake, but the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which also includes the booming city of Fort McMurray, cannot keep up with infrastructure demands. Neither the Harper nor Stelmach governments have stepped forward to fulfill their responsibility to ensure safe drinking water for the Fort Chipewyan community.

Piped through BC?

Dealing with the drinking water is the minimum that needs to be done. The loss of traditional hunting and fishing areas for First Nations living along the Athabasca will require a long-term mitigation plan.

The experience of those in Fort Chipewyan should raise alarm for British Columbians who will soon have a special stake in the tar sands. The "northern energy corridor" announced by the Campbell government in this spring's Throne Speech and the $4 billion Enbridge Gateway pipeline to bring tar sands oil to supertankers at an expanded Kitimat port mean tar sands development is a big deal for our province too.

The proposed Enbridge Gateway pipeline and 'northern energy corridor" will take tar sands oil to supertankers at Kitimat. Those oil supertankers will then ply fragile coastal ecosystems in order to take raw bitumen to refineries in California or Asia. If the pipeline goes ahead, it will be an incentive for still more tar sands expansion, further affecting First Nations communities living near the development and exacerbating the already serious climate change impact.

What can you do?

British Columbians should press the federal government and local MPs to take urgent steps to resolve the cancer and water crisis facing Fort Chipewyan. The federal government should get started on a baseline health study and move quickly on a new, healthy, water supply for the Fort Chipewyan community.

British Columbians should sign on to the 'No New Approvals' campaign. All the treaty chiefs of Alberta and more than 60 other community organizations have signed onto the 'no new approvals' campaign. Unplanned and unfettered development of new tar sands facilities will only worsen already critical environmental, economic and health problems.

Get involved in stopping the Enbridge Gateway pipeline.

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97  Comments:

  • Luke Skywalker

    19-05-2008

    OTOH...

    Yeah, I've read many stories of the sorry state of affairs of the Mikisew Cree and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations and I can't understand why the feds/Alberta gov't don't step in.

    Quote:
    The "northern energy corridor" announced by the Campbell government in this spring's Throne Speech and the $4 billion Enbridge Gateway pipeline to bring tar sands oil to supertankers at an expanded Kitimat port.

    Get involved in stopping the Enbridge Gateway pipeline.

    OTOH, anyone attempting to prevent a $4 billion dollar economic infusion into the Prince George/Kitimat areas during a forestry downturn, which may last a few years, will be ostracized in northern BC.

  • zalm

    19-05-2008

    Well....

    Quote:
    ...Prince George/Kitimat areas...

    Prince Rupert, and I might grant you some consideration. But don't be too certain at how the people up there react - they might surprise you. Personal experience.

  • Frank

    19-05-2008

    Luke

    Quote:
    OTOH, anyone attempting to prevent a $4 billion dollar economic infusion into the Prince George/Kitimat areas during a forestry downturn, which may last a few years, will be ostracized in northern BC.

    I guess its better that the natives all die of cancer rather than we turn our backs on providing dollars to corporations.

  • MJP

    20-05-2008

    already happnin

    Tar sands oil is already flowing through BC through the Kinder Morgan pipe to Burnaby.

    So, on the one hand BC is fighting carbon emissions at home, while on the other we are helping carbon emissions grow in Alberta.

    Does that make any sense?

  • Fiat lux

    20-05-2008

    According to some scientist

    According to some scientist friends in the field, not paid either by governments, or the corporate mafia, the detrimental health effects of the tar sands exploitation will spread right across the downwind areas of Canada and ultimately, around the whole world.

    They call it the biggest manmade ecological/health disaster in history.

    Combined with the ruling neoclassical market economic theory,now the biggest crime wave in human history, young people and yet unborn generations are looking forward to a bright future......in hospitals.

    Well, at least "those who can afford them" under coming SPP and NAU, ensuring total exploitation rights for everything and everybody.

    Ed Deak, Big Lake.

  • freebear

    20-05-2008

    Insatiable Addiction

    As long as there is an endless demand for an ever shrinking supply of the 'stuff', and as long as we live with our addiction and our design (suburbia), and behaviour (single occupant vehicles and 1500 km cesaer salads)which requires liquid energy (gas) 'we' will suffer the consequences-well maybe not 'us', just those who live by the tar ponds (the monster from the tar pits!?), or downstream.

    How can 'we' say no to more oil & gas development when we expect our cars to have gas and are house to be warm?

    And of course 'we' all expect the economy to grow, so that means more cars and more houses! each year- a 'healthy' growth rate! Do even the 'green' politicians assume growth is good, or do they even consider a steady state economy with minor fluctuations! No wonmder 'we' seek the moon and planets-more material to exploit and grow!

    Hey lets be more sustainable!

    More!

    You either are sustainable or you are not! No such thing as "more sustainable"! Not what most politicians would have you believe though!

    From Mayors to Prime Ministers!

  • jilenium00

    20-05-2008

    Off topic, but...

    Luke Skywalker: The movement to keep the Shell coalbed methane development out of the Nass/Skeena/Stikine headwaters in Northwest BC has been overwhemingly supported by the local communities. We northern BC'ers are not as money hungry as you may assume.

  • snert

    20-05-2008

    Frank

    Quote:
    I guess its better that the natives all die of cancer rather than we turn our backs on providing dollars to corporations.

    A different water source might be a good idea for starters. If you believe this report then most of the damage is already done.

    As usual there is more energy wasted trying to stop something than ensuring that it is done properly.

    It doesn't take a genius to figure out that water and ducks go together. People should have been on top of this from the start.

  • Luke Skywalker

    20-05-2008

    jilenium00

    Quote:
    Luke Skywalker: The movement to keep the Shell coalbed methane development out of the Nass/Skeena/Stikine headwaters in Northwest BC has been overwhemingly supported by the local communities. We northern BC'ers are not as money hungry as you may assume.

    I know the issue and can understand that.

    But a $4 billion pipeline is an entirely different animal.

  • ursus

    20-05-2008

    Oil

    The above photo is not outside Ft Chip it is taken from the side of highway 63 half a mile or so south of the Syncrude Plant which is now owned by Exxon.

    The big orange object on the right is the old drag line, the photo looks like it was taken fairly recently because the big tower crane is up, the blue Crane next to it is (I believe set up as) a 1200t that was used to take the top off the Coker during this last shutdown.

    Why is it ok with the right wingers to ship our oil to a foreign country for refining when we could be doing it ourselves and getting the benefit of setting our own oil prices, we do not have a shortage, it is the foreign state that is dictating prices to us for our own oil while they sit on their own, sounds like a lunicy commision is in order here.

    Cheers.

  • SharingIsGood

    20-05-2008

    over-prodution

    Canada currently produces 800,000 more barrels of oil per day than it consumes.
    That's about 35% of total production; therefore, the port is only necessary if we want to ship oil. Now is time for Alberta to build its refinery, it is a matter of national security. Canada should be able to refine all petroleum it consumes. Shipping it out for others to refine and then buying it back is foolish.

    http://internationaltradecommodities.suite101.com/article.cfm/top_oil_producing_countries

  • Frank

    20-05-2008

    Red-herring alert

    Quote:
    And more money will not flow into government coffers to provide additonal funds for these services if, for example, a $4 billion pipeline development in northern BC is prevented due to other government's inaction on a very servious matter in another jurisdiction.

    When Canada got wealthier and governments ran surpluses they didn't put the money into fixing poverty, they instead cut taxes for the wealthy and the corporations.

    Why would anyone believe they're about to do so now if only they could make a few billion more a year? Because its simple ideology and doesn't require logic or history to support it.

  • Frank

    20-05-2008

    snert

    Good post.

    Quote:
    A different water source might be a good idea for starters. If you believe this report then most of the damage is already done.

    I don't think it is, they want to greatly increase the amount of oil extracted and I assume that means a lot more damage.

    Quote:
    As usual there is more energy wasted trying to stop something than ensuring that it is done properly.

    But the people in charge have no reason to do so and no past history to suggest they will anyway.

    Quote:

    It doesn't take a genius to figure out that water and ducks go together. People should have been on top of this from the start.

    Again, look at the Alberta gov't, since when have they ever put the health and welfare of natives or the environment ahead of oil? If we were talking about some group that had a history of trying to do the right thing I'd believe them but the Alberta gov't? The history doesn't back them up.

  • Luke Skywalker

    20-05-2008

    Frank...

    Quote:
    When Canada got wealthier and governments ran surpluses they didn't put the money into fixing poverty, they instead cut taxes for the wealthy and the corporations.

    Ummm... did you mention that they also paid down the outstanding debt?

    For example, you do understand that Canadian government debt was ~$580 billion in 1995 and that the interest payment was $49 billion for fiscal year 1995 - 1996

    And that if there was "no debt" that $49 billion could have either gone toward a mix of government services and lower taxation levels for all?

    And I will re-iterate again... even Gary Doer's Manitoba New Democrats have "cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations"!

  • Frank

    20-05-2008

    Luke

    Quote:
    Ummm... did you mention that they also paid down the outstanding debt?

    No, but I could have as that money did not flow to the poor unless you think the government owed the money to the poor.

    Quote:
    And that if there was "no debt" that $49 billion could have either gone toward a mix of government services and lower taxation levels for all?

    Could have but didn't.

    Quote:
    And I will re-iterate again... even Gary Doer's Manitoba New Democrats have "cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations"!

    And I will reiterate again that everything you post that you like about Doer and Campbell was already implemented by Mike Harris.

  • realisticman

    20-05-2008

    Crank up the V8

    and fill 'er up.

    Quote:
    Iraq dramatically increased the official size of its oil reserves yesterday after new data suggested that they could exceed Saudi Arabia’s and be the largest in the world.

    The Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister told The Times that new exploration showed that his country has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, with as much as 350 billion barrels. The figure is triple the country’s present proven reserves and exceeds that of Saudi Arabia’s estimated 264 billion barrels of oil. Barham Salih said that the new estimate had been based on recent geological surveys and seismic data compiled by “reputable, international oil companies . . . This is a serious figure from credible sources.”

  • dorothy

    21-05-2008

    But they said...

    I believe the Albertans were adamanrt about not sharing any of what they got out of the tarsands...when did that change? I see class action suits eating up their profit margin. Why don't we file them now, to have a head start???

  • ursus

    21-05-2008

    Saving Salmon

    That would probably take a complete change in our Political system for a start eliminating the lobby act and contributions to political parties and politicians by corporations and special interest parties!

    The elimination of Nafta and Tilma which protect corporations in trade deals and make citizens liable for stopping corporate activity which destroys the environment, for example chapter 13 in Nafta.

    Would you be in favour of stopping the approval of a mine if it was going to affect Salmon Habitat and run the risk of being sued under either of these nasty trade deals, to bad we couldn't sue the politician responsible for signing our rights away.

    Cheers.

  • freebear

    22-05-2008

    A Growth Industry

    Hey why worry, cancer is a growing industry and we all know growth is good and the most important measure of human well-being right?

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