Properly Motivated but Misguided

In the community of Fort Chipewyan some 915 people live off the shore of one of Canada’s largest lakes. It is also a location that has been identified as being a possible “cancer cluster,” a place where higher than average reported cases of cancer exists. Fort Chipewyan is located 650 km north of Nisku as the crow flies. Between 2001-2007, a Dr. John O'Connor, who was Ft. Chip’s only resident physician, raised the awareness to Alberta Health that the community had higher levels of cancer than other locations in Alberta. Now two years and one Oscar nominated documentary later, the cancer is being blamed on the Ft. McMurray oil sands operations, which lay 236 kms. south of Ft. Chip. No study or evidence yet exists that connects Alberta Oil Sands to the plight of this community, but with the lack of other suspects, the oil industry is yet again found guilty.

In an effort to damage the oil sands operation, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations along with the Mikisew Cree First Nations, have purchased a full-page advertisement in one of USA’s largest publications, USA Today. The advertisement, written as if it came from an American group starts out, “President Obama, you’ll never guess who’s standing between us and our new energy economy…Canada’s Tar Sands: The dirtiest Oil on Earth.” The words are above a map of North America with Canada shown as a spilling oil blotch spreading across the borders onto US soil and spilling into the oceans. The Advert states that the oil sands in Alberta are spewing masses of greenhouse gas and toxic chemicals and poisoning water, forest and neighbouring First Nation communities. USA Today has the largest coast-to-coast circulation in America. Costly adverting, but very effective.

The only question is, what effect the Advert will have on the Ft. Chip community and their health issues? Even if it has the desired negative effect on Alberta oil industry, will those results benefit the First Nation community? It can be argued that it may even have a negative effect on that community proving that their passionate plea from a foreign dignitary was properly motivated but misguided. It is not a great mental leap to believe that any form of industry could pose a health risk of any community. Case in point is the number of breathing disorders reported by people who live in or near Ft. Saskatchewan, a community nested close to a cluster of chemical plants. But, it is interesting that a similar cancer ratio has not been recorded in Ft. McMurray, which is a great deal closer to the oil sands operation than Ft. Chip. In light of the negative coverage that this industry has had from the left-wing press, the label ‘carcinogenic’ from a community 236 kilometres away seems not too great a leap.

This misguided move is very similar to the efforts of the northern British Columbian First Nation groups used to advance their land claims. The result there was to drive away investment in the area, which in turn hurt the group and the province. It is very much like using a sledgehammer to hang a picture.

The USA Today Advert may very well be the straw that broke the camels back. With a democrat in the White House, the hysteria of global warming and the world in economic turmoil, the efforts of the Fort Chipewyan First Nations may have a rippling effect that will hurt them and other First Nations communities and our communities right here in Nisku and Leduc.

Alberta Oil Sands is a source of 62% of Alberta's total oil production and 47% of all oil produced in Canada. As of 2006, output of oil sands production was reported to be 1.126 million barrels per day. It was estimated that until the slow down on the industry output of oil would have reached 4.969 million barrels per day by 2030. That would make Canada the largest oil producing country in the world. The so-called dirty process of extracting the oil from the open-pit mining of the bitumen accounts for only 20% of the oil sands that are recovered. A new process called ‘SITU’ will result in 80% of the oil recovered. SITU is process where oil deep below the surface is drawn up and then pumped out using steam. It is found to be ‘cleaner’ and is very similar to conventional methods.

These economic realities and statistics are something that the Fort Chipewyan First Nations should be concerned about because other First Nations Bands have their eye on the oil sands for very different reasons. The oil sands operation falls within the boundaries of Treaty 8 signed in 1899 with the Fort McKay First Nation. Since then The Fort McKay First Nation has formed several companies to service the oil sands industry and will be developing a mine on their territory.

The actions of the Ft. Chip group is deliberately damaging both for the industry and the relations of Canada with the American people. One must wonder if other courses of action could have been taken to resolve health issues that may or may not have been caused by an industry that all Canadians depend on.