Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Health

The Health implications in terms of these projects are vast, and not just the deadly explosions and industrial accidents that happen in production-—from reported increases in rare forms of cancer downstream from tar sands production to the pollution of fresh water leading to poisoned diets (fish, moose and plant toxicity)—-direct links are hard to establish but impossible to either rule out or ignore, especially where tarsand operations constitute overwhelmingly the greatest change to the environment in most corners of the continent effected directly by tarsand infrastructure.

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The Gigaproject Imports People: 24 Month "Guest Labourers" from China in the Tarsands

The response to this importation of people, to be exploited vastly and then dumped on transport back to their original nation-state, has often been put in terms of "Canada first" language, the language of making sure "Canadian jobs are protected" without the obvious fact that there simply is not enough labour already. The problem here is not a nationalist one, but a disposable people attitude being put forth here.

Water Wasted in Vast Amounts; Albertan Government Placates with Panel

The schemes around water need a scrutiny that does not trust in panels. With the slow-privatization of water underway with the selling of "water access rights" to farmers in southern Alberta, soon there will be a situation where perhaps GATT could kick in, and no purchaser can be discriminated against. In other words, on the current trends pathway we are headed to making it illegal to regulate how much water gets wasted.

Consultations a Scam: "Don't ask Questions If you Don't Want Answers"

DON'T ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU DON'T WANT ANSWERS
http://www.vueweekly.com/articles/default.aspx?i=6165
RICARDO ACUNA / ualberta.ca/parkland

If you don’t want to hear the answer, then you shouldn’t ask the question. Likewise, if you are already convinced you have the solution, and nothing will change your mind, then don’t ask for advice and input.

Of course, in Alberta during the Klein years, we became used to a slight variation on the above tenets—asking the right very narrow and carefully designed questions will ensure you get only the answers you want no matter whom you ask.

"The Battle of Marie Lake": Community vs. Tarsand Seismic Operations

Marie Lake cottage owners say 'never' to oilsands seismic survey
Osum believes northern recreational area contains two billion barrels of oil

Gordon Jaremko, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Monday, April 09, 2007
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/business/story.html?id=dd3351...
EDMONTON - Call it the battle of Marie Lake.

Plans to sail an industrial mini-armada onto a beauty spot 300 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, for a spring marine seismic survey of an oilsands deposit beneath the lake, has ignited furious resistance.

Alberta Health: Fort Chip "Only" Eating Moose with 17-33 Times the Safe Arsenic Level

Government Study Reduces Level of Reported Arsenic in Moosemeat
http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/z_fortmac0404.lasso

FORT McMURRAY (CP) - Area residents still doubt the safety of deer and moose meat from the oilsands region, despite a provincial study suggesting the arsenic levels are comparable to other areas.

''The community members are questioning the study,'' said Melody Lepine, executive director of the Mikisew Cree Industrial Relations Corp.

''Why were there no other contaminants being looked at?'' she asked. ''What does it really mean to compare it to the Yukon moose?''

Klein concedes: No Environmental Plan, No Health Care Plan

Former Premier Ralph Klein warns of health backlash

By RENATO GANDIA
Today staff
Thursday April 05, 2007
http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/Local%20News/298912.html

VANCOUVER -- Former Alberta Premier Ralph Klein is quick to admit he didn’t have a plan to fix the blistering effects of the oilsands boom on the strained infrastructure of Fort McMurray and other parts of Alberta.
But he’s not as forthcoming about the reason.

Tar Sands halt called for at "Oilsands consultations"

Oilsands committee told to halt development
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 4, 2007 | 12:28 PM MT
CBC News

A provincial government committee touring Alberta to hear what people have to say about the pace of development in the oilsands were told on their Edmonton stop to halt development.

Everyone who spoke to the panel Tuesday night made passionate arguments in favour of stalling new projects until a wide range of problems are addressed.

Suspicious Death at the Suncor Tar Pit....?

Suspicious death at the oilsands
By CP

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2007/04/02/3897136-sun.html

FORT MCMURRAY -- RCMP are investigating the suspicious death of a man at the Suncor oilsands plant north of Fort McMurray.

A worker found the body yesterday morning and reported it to emergency services.

Several hundred tradesmen were sent home and security was tight at the plant while police investigate. Const. Tye Roddick-Ament said investigators are not ruling anything out, including the possibility of foul play.

Tar Sand Oil to be Refined in Ontario?

Tar sand proposal for locals at Shell Open House
Thu, March 29, 2007
The curious and the committed came to learn details of a proposed refinery.
By JOE MATYAS, SUN MEDIA
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/2007/03/29/3861392-sun.html

WALLACEBURG -- Shell Canada officials were anything but lonely here yesterday as they gave the public its first look at a proposed refinery that could cost between $6 billion and $8 billion.

Tree huggers, job seekers, property owners, politicians, the media and the just plain curious came to the Oaks Inn for a five-hour, show-and-tell.

Utah: Four Enviro Groups suing over Tar Sands Project

Potential tar sands project sparks suit

By BOBBY MAGILL
The Daily Sentinel (Colorado)
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/03/15/3_15_1a_T...
Thursday, March 15, 2007

Four environmental groups are accusing the Bureau of Land Management of violating various federal laws in order to allow tar sands development near Canyonlands National Park’s Maze District in Utah and within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.