Tar sands-related cancer study to be released today
edmontonjournal.com
February 6, 2009
EDMONTON - A study of the incidence of cancer in the northern Alberta community of Fort Chipewyan is to be released Friday at noon.
Dr. Tony Fields of Alberta Health Services is to discuss the findings at Edmonton's Cross Cancer Institute.
Fort Chipewyan is downstream from oilsands development, which some in the area have blamed for higher than normal rates of rare cancer. The study was meant to determine whether that was the case.
In November, however, the Athabasca Chipewyan and Mikisew Cree First Nations rejected the study before seeing it, saying that the local community's health board, nurses and doctors had not been asked for their input.
"The lack of transparency and community involvement are the exact reasons the community no longer trusts the Alberta government and its agencies to deliver accurate and responsible information to our community," Steve Courtoreille, chairman of the Nunee Health Board Society, said in a news release in November.
"We are extremely disappointed with the cancer board," Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Roxanne Marcel said in the same statement. "Fort Chipewyan shouldn't trust government on providing accurate information on anything related to tar sands development and its impacts downstream."
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Health/Oilsands+related+cancer+study+releas...
