Animal habitats and health are affected by tar sands production, whether from loss of habitat to any of the infrastructure developments across the continent, or through changes in the atmosphere such as melting polar ice caps in the Arctic brought on by out of control C02 emissions. Poisoning waterways, the food supply and the air in the immediate and not-so immediate surroundings has led to drops and even disappearances of species near pipelines, platforms and other infrastructure of the tarsands.
The following article from Alberta Views Magazine also received an important letter to the editor follow up from Reinie Jobin, the Elder mentioned at the outset of the piece. His response is attached and appended at the conclusion of the original article below, on this same posting.
Thanks to the Ontario based solidarity organization, Friends of the Lubicon for providing these two articles:
http://www.tao.ca/~fol
ALBERTA VIEWS MAGAZINE
MARCH 2007
FEATURE REPORT
NO DEAL
The doctor who does not speak of treating both the symptom and the cause of disease is one who sees your lung cancer and does not tell you to quit smoking, or who offers you a beer while explaining you have liver failure.
Why Climate Change issues won't be solved by Politicians or Capitalism
Liberals and Conservatives demonstrate hypocrisy on redressing Global Warming
http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2007/03/27/01446.html
Compiled by Super Canuck
First Nation pulls out of oilsands watchdog group
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 6, 2007 | 10:46 AM MT
CBC News
The largest First Nations community in the Fort McMurray area has walked away from an organization set up to protect the environment from too much oilsands development.
Government and industry are not taking protection of the environment seriously, said Sherwin Sheh, who speaks for the Mikisew Cree of Fort Chipewyan.
The First Nation is following the lead of the Athabasca Chipewyan and pulling out of the Cumulative Environmental Management Association.
N.W.T. fears toll from oilsands development
http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/Local%20News/295973.html
By RENATO GANDIA
staff// Fort McMurray Today
Friday March 23, 2007
Destruction of the Mackenzie River watershed, hundreds of dead adults and sick babies in the Deh Cho First Nation. That’s the scenario a Northwest Territories chief is predicting if oilsands development is not slowed.
Grand Chief Herb Norwegian wants immediate action from the Alberta and N.W.T. governments to protect the quality and quantity of water that flows downstream from the oilsands.
March 9 / 11, 2007
The Bi-Partisan Politics of Oil
Crude Alliance
By JEFFREY ST. CLAIR
Counterpunch
Soon after John Kerry had sewed up the delegates needed to seize the Democratic nomination for president in the spring of 2004, he huddled for two hours with James Hoffa, Jr., the noxious boss of the Teamsters union. The topic was oil. The Teamsters wanted more of it at cheaper prices. They had suspicions about Kerry. After all, the senator had already won the backing of the Sierra Club, who touted him as the most environmentally enlightened member of the US senate.
Dehcho, Chipewyan nations call for oilsands moratorium
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 | 12:38 PM CT
CBC News North
Northern First Nations are calling for a halt to further development in Alberta's oilsands, saying the massive industrial growth is hurting their land, their water and their people.
Dehcho First Nations Grand Chief Herb Norwegian told a news conference in Fort McMurray Tuesday the effect of the massive development can be felt downstream along the Mackenzie River system.
This is a setback, and what form of setback is a matter of interpretation. It is a signal that the nations of the North are expected to take a payoff or get steamrolled. It is also an attempt to use the usual doublespeak manner of the Canadian State: not allowing the supreme court ruling to actually effect the economic situation for the Mackenzie Gas Project by delaying the process, but forcing the cosmetic change in the JRP final report. However, it should be noted that decisions on whether or not the MGP goes ahead will come from something other than a federally orchestrated panel.
May 22, 2006
Globe and Mail
Why is Cancer Sweeping Tiny Fort Chipewyan?
by Patrick Brethour
A generation ago, Lake Athabasca was clear and clean enough that Fort Chipewyan residents drew their drinking water straight from it, and thought nothing about dipping a cup over the side of a canoe during hunting trips. Those days are long gone, as industrial development -- particularly the explosive growth of the oil sands -- accelerates along the Athabasca River, the main tributary of Lake Athabasca.
April 28, 2005
No Lifeblood for Oil
Lubicon nation fights oil companies, governments for survival
http://www.dominionpaper.ca/original_peoples/2005/04/28/no_lifeblo.html
by Kim Petersen
