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H2oil (2009)
When the war in Iraq began
the price of oil soared, Oil was discovered in Canada. Everyone knew it was there. But it became a part of the global reserve. It is considered as the greatest oil deposit in the world today. These are the tar sands. Digging the bitumen out of the ground and converting it into synthetic crude is a monumental challenge. It requires huge capital highly sophisticated technology and thousands of skilled workers. In short, it is a great enterprise comparable to the construction pyramids or the Great Wall China only bigger. This is the biggest unsustainable development on the planet. I am very proud to see a dynamic and growing economy in Alberta that benefits all of Canada. I will not put that at risk. I will not put the oil sands at risk. I really do feel hurt in some way that we are selling out our land for industry and economic growth. Like I said last night, economic development, and economic boom, is going to be a great economic disaster, and the destruction of our land and our people. Alberta is located on one of the largest recoverable oil fields in the world second only to Saudi Arabia. Stretching over 149 000 km an area larger than England, it contains at least 175 billion barrels of bitumen found in the boreal forest, Slough and rivers. To access this sandy tar-like substance the land which the industry calls overburden is removed and stored to be retrieved later. Cranes and 400 ton trucks transport the bitumen to the extraction plants where in order to separate the sand from the bitumen It is mixed with large amounts of fresh water heated by natural gas. It is then spun with a chemical solvent to remove clay and minerals, leaving the wastewater to be dumped into enormous toxic settling ponds. The bitumen is then sent into pipelines to be processed into crude oil throughout North America. Fort Chip is unique in politics because of the two First Nations and Mtis group that are here in Fort Chip. Our ancestors have lived here for thousands of years. We consider this region as our homeland. And Fort Chipewyan is also our homeland. The community of Fort Chip receives all the pollution that is thrown into the river. The government will say: "Ah! We have consultedwith you! " No, you never did. Industry consulted with us. It is a third party. We're talking about land, water, air. Everything. Let's be very clear. Alberta will not close the door to future investments. We want to create a environment and economy that are virbant and that we can leave to our children and our grandchildren. The bitumen buried in the boreal forest of Alberta is being mined from surface. To access the bitumen, whole forests are cut down and the top soil is scraped away, transforming a once lush region into a vast moonscape. At some point, something will go wrong and people will have to move away from here for their own good. Compensation. Is that going to help? For what? For whom? Right now as we speak, my brother has cancer, colon cancer. So... What is making people Fort Chipewyan sick? The people there believe they know: Pollution from the oil sands. According to a study by a oil companies there could be 400 times more arsenic than the legal limit in moose meat, which causes cancer. People suspected something was wrong because of the number of relatives dying of cancer. I do not know when we wil get the results but I hope it will be soon. If my mother has to undergo chemo and radiotherapy, I'm staying at home, working 8 Hours, I'm going to Edmonton with her. My cancer did bother me for a long time. I thought, my God, I have cancer! Shit, Cancer! I was just 17. I am a good person. I did not deserve to have cancer is 17 years old, be told that I can not have children. You know? I can not say it's because of the water or air or vegetables that grow here. My mother has a vegetable garden behind the house. I can not say it's because of that, but something tells me that yes, it is. It began to dawn on me that something was wrong. But we are on the ground here and sometimes you can't the wood for the trees. So we're going to get cases of colon cancer, prostate, lung. Then we had some... blood related issues in the form of leukemia. Cholangiocarcinoma, There were three cases in 1200. According to statistics, it should be 1 in 100 000. When we realize what the community is exposed to from the south and east of here and there is a direct correlation between these chemicals and the types of cancers that exist here. My gut feeling says, there has to be a link between industry and what is happening here. Since the invasion of Iraq, or the price of oil soared, the leading provider Oil U.S. is not Saudi Arabia, or Mexico. This is Canada. It is clear that the war in Iraq creates winners and losers. If there had not been a war in Iraq there would not have been a massive boom.in Alberta. by the oil sands industry is released into huge artificial lagoons. One of these ponds covers 16 km square. According to scientists, a significant breach may cause ecological disaster than the oil spill of the Exxon Valdez. Settling ponds contain a mixture of contaminated water by processing bitumen. It may well contain of aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, cadmium, zinc, iron, naphthenic acids, etc.. There is an incredible variety of organic compounds present in the bitumen, that eventually gets into the settling ponds and into the air. Every tailings pond in the sand reagion leaks. Every tank leaks every day, 24 hours a day. The best studied tailings pond is the Tar Island - Pond 1 and that is situated at the worst place on the banks of the river, It leaks 67 liters of toxic tailing water per second. Draining 67 liters into the river every second. That is only one tailings pond and thats is one of the less toxic. In the middle 80's, There was an environmental assessment of the seepage management of that dam And the Great Canadian Oil Sands, Suncor, was obliged to collect all the fluids escaping from the drains and put it back in the ponds. However, there are still some leaks flowing into the river. Only tens of liter per second, but it is closely monitored to determine the impact on fish and small invertebrates. No impact was detected. But I think it is the biggest problem connected to the seepage in the river today. There were a couple here who died last winter.. The wife died of cancer, and the man didnt want to live. He died in February and she died in October. We came here on the rocks. We took a hook and a long pole, and we caught what we call link cod. There was a lot. We were fishing 50 to 100 per night. We have already done enough harm nature. Leave her alone... It's hard for me to accept there are problems with fish. This one has a large cyst on the side. You are doing this by putting stuff in the river. They must provide us with an address where we can send you samples to show you the results of your actions on the fish. How can you send them the fish? I called and talked with some Dan. I said, "How am I supposed to send it?" He said, Preserve it in formaldehyde. I don't have anything like that. In my opinion, government of Alberta has no clue as to the state of the Athabasca River. They continue to give permits for water licence, for projects that requires to use millions of cubic meters of water per project. The people in the community believe there is clearly a problem with water. Many of our people dying of rare cancers according to our doctor, should not exist here There are so many for such a small community. Naturally, local authorities were forced to investigate, independent of those Government and Industry because all their studies say that everything is fine here. But when they bury That's incredible. We must do something. I'm afraid that the meeting tonight will confirm our fears. Because many people who died of cancer are people who eat traditional food regularly. It's very frustrating. This meeting was organised for you, members of the community. I'm glad that you came. Let me introduce you Dr. Kevin Timoney. He will take the floor. Thank you. Then, as Donna said, some people in the community concerned about the quality of the water and sediment and the presence of contaminants in the environment and that this may be related disease in the community. A quick overview of what found.. In the water the folling things sometimes a cause for concern in terms of their high levels: arsenic, aluminum, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron. These are all heavy metals. Lead, phosphorus, selenium, titanium, phenol. In sediments, the things of most concern are arsenic, cadmium, PAHs and resin acids. The level of mercury found in fish is very worrying for human consumption. Overall, three contaminants the are most disturbing are arsenic, PAHs and mercury. Yes, Jackson? You say that the fish have a lot of mercury and all sorts of diseases, but have you checked the rats musk and the beavers? They also live in water. Don't they have these things too? It's a good question and I wish I had more information on that. Many trappers have told me they are finding musk rats with bloody noses. They also said that the burrows smell of oil. I think that needs to be studied. There is much controversy surrounding the presence of arsenic in water and animals. A few years ago, Suncor completed a study that revealed that if you eat the moose, fish and berries, there will be between 312 and 453 additional cancer cases per 100 000 inhabitants. When those results were released Minister of Health and Wellness of Alberta commissioned a second study ehich concluded that the first study was unreliable, and that you did not need to worry and the actual arsenic level was much lower. In short, they concluded that the cases additional cancer would range from 17 to But both studies conclude the number of cancer cases which is 1 in 100,000. are considered acceptable. I then reviewed the report which claimed that arsenic level was no problem. I discovered that the report was based on questionable statistical methods and assumptions. They underestimated the levl of arsenic in water, there were errors in their data. They underestimated the amount of fish people eat in Fort Chipewyan. I would conclude that since the water and sediment in your area have a high arsenic content, and there is a link evident between arsenic and diseases affecting your community. This is a red flag item that really needs to be studied in depth. I am not sure I'd use the word "cover-up" but it is surely something like that. I would say that the government and industry have data which indicate that there is a problem and that they are not telling you about it. Is that a cover-up? I suppose you could say that. Does your department investigate all the deformities in the fish and those kinds of things that the native of FortChipewyan are talking about? No, not directly. What we're doing is continuing our responsibility to monitor water quality. Occasional deformities which were found are not restricted to the Athabasca River. Dr. Timoney used Official's data in his report but the government Alberta maintains the oil sands development does not cause any serious problem. But Dr. Timoney, like many others, remains concerned about the growing presence of chemicals called policyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs. It is well established that PAHs cause cancer and other of vascular disorders, kidney problems, liver and skin damage. They have an interesting synergetic effect with arsenic. We know that arsenic is a powerful carcinogen and is associated with certain types cancer seen in Fort Chipewyan. The combination of arsenic and PAHs may increase carcinogenic effects And it is precisely what is found in water, in the sediment of the river and Delta. Some independent reports, there is a presence of arsenic and PAHs. Should we then make more studies on the subject? When people have concerns in relation to their health whether real or not, we must take that into account. So we're going to continue the studies and monitoring just to reassure them. But there is no spill of wastewater into the Athabasca our monitiring information tells us there is no additional contaminants They talk about arsenic, but the levels were still within the guidelines. They talk about mercury. It is at natural levels. The oil sands outcrop into the river naturally. If you take a boatride in summer you will see seepage on the river bank. It is obvious that water downlstream from the oil sands will carry some PAHs that may not be found in other rivers because there isn'tany hydrocarbons entering. But that's natural. Some of the under the table things that have happened with the response to Dr. Timoney's report. reveals the same thing: The level of mercury always been high there. This is not really the name of the game. Sure, they probably were high but are they higher since we've been mining? His report says, he found an increase in PAH over time. They claim that it is all shifting bottom sediment. , It's a coincidence. It's happened at four sites. To me that is a coincidence in the same way like flipping "heads" on a coin 4 times. It's wonderful to see so many from Ontario Quebec, Manitoba, from the East and Alberta. We are at the point where the sector is about to grow up. Over the 25 years prior to 1990, Oil Sands were only speculations, and an opportunity to show entrepreneurship that we are proud about. A money pit. It was small, dirty, and very expensive. For me, it was like a newborn. The baby had a big name: Great Canadian Oil Sands, which it had to grow into. Then came a sibling called Syncrude. Millionaire family was now complete. Owners and regulators are starting to realise the problem with the children, that they have their own ideas. They do not always act as you hoped. They do some things better than us and some things need to change. Has our need for oil become greater than we need water? Fresh water is scarce. We believe it is unlimited but less than 0.5% of the world's water is fresh water. The oil sands mining operations requires upto 4 barrels of fresh water to produce a barrel of oil. This water comes from the Athabasca River which is fed from glaciers in the Rockie mountains. The Industry not only sucks up large amount of water but will produce more carbon emissions than all the cars in Canada combined. The oil produced by the industry contributes to a cycle of consumption that ascelerates climate change. destroying the glaciers that feed this delicate cycle. The water has a spicy taste. It is different. My family business has been around 10 years. We are oneof three spring water companies which has a natural source. Bottling is going from For to go and discuss it. that we should limit the number of bottles, is ridiculous when you see the amount used by the oil companies. They use so much fresh water. The flow of all rivers has decreased Everyone has noticed. Basically, this is it. the oil platform next to our spring. Nobody told us about it. We are very concerned We haven't seen any data. Nobody knows who is responsible for protecting the water. Nobody wants to take this on. And AEUB is hanging up on me.. There's no overflow at all. The power system may be broken. I do not know. The level is low. Shit! There is nothing in there. You know why there is no water? It's because they take everything up there for their drilling. That's why! They're taling all the water of aquifers. That's where it's going, the water. There has never been this little ever. There is no water there. Oh, my God! Closes it. We should go to the platform and ask them if they're using fresh water from this region for drilling. The flow goes down in winter but not like that. Let's go then. It was not like this before that the platform was installed. Let's go. If they do nothing, Athabasca River will dry up. I can not imagine that, water comes from glaciers. Glaciers are melting so fast now. There's one that has completely disappeared. When I was 12, it was huge. It 's melted down that much. I do not know. The argument against the reduction CO2 emissions is that it has a negative impact on the economy. This is why George W. Bush gave for withdrawing from Kyoto. Similarly, the Prime Minister Stephen Harper says any action against climate change would have to happen without harming a the Canadian economy. Canada has spent 6 billion in programs to reduce CO2 but has not met its targets in 15 years. That's because producing a barrel of oil from the oil sands emits three times more greenhouse gas emissions than a barrel of conventional oil. Near the oil sands is the Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia ice fields. one of the largest reserves freshwater in the world. Because of global warming, the glacier has dropped by one and a half kilometres. and lost half its volume. We are entering very clearly into a period climate change with major impacts on our supply of fresh water, water flowing from glaciers and mountains. Once they have melted, This will be the end. This land seems lonely. Looking at the shoreI can see how much water's gone. I would say that the level has declined by about three meters. Lile, there, was completely surrounded by water. Now it's all land. When I come here, my heart cries. All we were given is destroyed, because of one thing - oil. Why? We are in the largest freshwater delta in the world. And now, It is drying up. - What are you doing? - Just driving. - This guy is really active. - Hopefully. - I think so. I'll take off my glasses a sign of respect. See you later. Many peopleof our community believe that chiefs are selling our interests. They feel discouraged. A lot of people want change and they believe that I can do that. I will not bend over to cater to industry because my people are in danger, our way of life is in danger. We now counting the votes for Fort Chipewyan. Are you ready? A vote for Allan Adam. Archie Cyprien. Allan Adam. Allan Adam. Promising to fight the industry, Chief Allan Adam is elected. Three to one! Right on! We did it. The industry is working hard to limit environmental impact. We must also think about economic benefits and the socio-economic benefits from the oil sands. I think everyone is of the answer being that the impacts are so severe that everything will have to stop. In this case, I do not know if the industry and the government are ready to stop. I do not know if Canada is ready to stop everything. While the Chief Allan Adam promises to fight the industry, Dr. O'Connor leads his own struggle. After expressing his concerns about high rates of diseases, Health Canada has filed an official complaint against him, accusing him of unduly panicking the population. I was accused of professional misconduct, to have blocked access medical records, of unduly panickingthe community and causing mistrust here. When I arrived here, I had to earn their trust and since the beginning of this story Ive been told again and again, We asked for studies, that were never made. So I arrived in a community who did not trust the government. The people in the community are not alarmed, they are angry because of these problems and that they haven't been looked at. The number of people with these these ilnesses is much higher than they have compiled. Yet I studied each case, I spoke with the nurse who has been here 20 years. I talked to their realatives and my patients. So I have all the necessary information and if they need to verify they can just come here to spend half a day with me. They'll see. What bothers me a lot, is that this doctor only doing his job. When he says that there is a disproportionate rates rare cancers in Fort Chipewyan, Health Canada in its wisdom, filed a complaint against a physician that is just doing his job. Is it because we are indigenous Health Canada, Alberta Health, Industry, anyone who could make a difference and find a resolution to Dr. O'Connor claims as apposed to lodging a complaint against him. A week after my election, I suspended all negotiating with industry. It's for the good of the community. We need to know where we're going. Our health is very important. We must regain control and say what they are doing is wrong. They are killing us and are trying to silence Dr. O'Connor. But in our view, he is a hero. And that the government can not take it away. I do not know if going to that rig It looks like the equipment. There is a platform Drilling on top of us. They bore into the aquifers. It concerns me greatly. The level of our water is very low. I know they use water groundwater for their operations. So I want to understand the scientific process whether their activities affect our source. Good morning. Sorry I did not wake you up. I wonder... Everything I do, is drill a hole... and you can turn off or from your camera. ... I can shoot a little? - No. Let us go. They monitor. I tried to remain neutral hoping it would information, but no, nothing. I asked two simple questions: One, do I see a higher number of diseases? Two, how to explain it? Is it genetics, lifestyle, a simple bad luck? Or is it an environmental effect? In recent years, we called for an investigation Health in Fort Chip but I recently discovered we made this request for years in vain. I do not understand why. Today, we risk a genocide Fort Chipewyan the name of profit and prosperity Alberta, Canada. This should not happen today Fort Chipewyan. This should not happen in Alberta Canada, a G8 country. The sector is large, a settling pond of several square kilometers and Monday, hundreds birds encountered here. Of the 500 birds that landed on this pool of toxic Syncrude we recovered only a few. There seems to see little hope save the ducks. A bird covered oil flowing immediately. This incident occurred when Alberta launches campaign of $ 25 million for the oil sands. Business Without Borders The government and all affected groups pride in management oil sands and satisfactory image we have created. The world sees us as a model. We have made what was predicted in 1890 by an officer who visited the Athabasca and I quote: "When the time of the sands tar ring, "It will be one of the wonders Northern Development. Thank you. " Heather Kennedy made a speech last night. I know very well this woman at Suncor. And senior advisor She now works for the government, service approvals. What conclusion do you draw? It is not only unusual, is unacceptable. This person is a part executive at Suncor and as Assistant Deputy Minister Development Manager around Fort McMurray, Suncor and still pays a salary. Conflict of interest is so obvious you can not hide it. First Nations have found it was important that Suncor come into the community to give us problems, especially in terms Spills the Athabasca River. About these types of spills, How about some cause cancer? Some have carcinogenic contaminants? Carcinogenic PAHs? It is a matter of dosage and exposure time. It also depends on the people, some are more prone cancer than others. - Well, yes. - They can help, but I can not say it's absolutely the case. There are many factors involved So why do you continue to do that? We lost many people here. We bury our dead without stops. And the government gives still operating license. You should be ashamed of yourself. We work instructions of the Government and we are doing the impossible to do better than these instructions. Christine, there are many angry people here and you wonder why? Nobody wants to drink the water or eat fish or game. When 500 ducks died, Premiers Alberta and Canadian have requested a full investigation. We, all we ask, is a preliminary study of health and no one reacts. Nobody comes here to listen and try to find solutions to the situation desperate as we live. Neither Suncor or Syncrude neither the Government of Alberta nor the federal government. It's very hard to hear what you're saying. You do not believe us. You do not believe what the government says, you do not believe us when we tell you that water quality is good. I have a question. Why did you bring bottled water? This confirms there is a problem with water. And another question: Will you live here? Would you eat of fish have tumors? Sometimes we speak the same language. And that's what I see here tonight. We do not speak the same language and we do not understand. How can we initiate discussion for us to understand what happens and what causes such anger and such a fear in you? Because we do not want that either. As head, I can tell you that this could cause a real disaster in the judicial system. I recommend to work hand in hand with First nations in the region. When we ring the alarm because there are problems, it's not for lack of attention, because our community is endangered and we will not tolerate it longer. Oil is like a wild animal. Whoever finds becomes the owner. So said John Paul Getty, the industrialist who founded Getty Oil. In Canada, His words are still true. You do not have oil at least to hold shares Exxon Mobil Suncor, Petro-Canada or any other big private company that controls oil reserves of Canada. We do not ask compensation, We want the area to be protected. It is the source that feeds many rivers here. I think we will call the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. You can not... It has to be the Ministry Environment? To cease operations until what is statistics? Okay. Thank you. Bye-Bye. She hung up immediately she understood. If it is registered, I have to ask my supervisor to come. We will discuss and remember. It was the person who... Ministry of the Environment? No, the AEUB. You see? We must get out of the province, that's what I always said. Because people here do nothing and we are going in circles. As a leader, it breaks my heart to see our land in danger. As people First Nations we must show and let the world know what is happening in our region. Because if people do not know, will continue to apply oil that comes from oil sands. For the first time I come to Ottawa. I am sometimes nervous when I speak in public, but if you want to do the message, you must speak to the public. We are in Ottawa to ask for help Federal Government must protect the First Nations across Canada. The Government of Alberta does not protect us. He did not intend to protect our environment and resolve problems Health of Fort Chipewyan. We believe that the government Alberta and industry do not follow any guidelines in place. Nowhere in the world do we want to destroy a region the size of Florida. Environmental advocacy group Nowhere do we find the Toxic ponds so enormous they are visible from space. This study did not receive Stelmach's attention which ruled out. The study was made by Defence Toronto Environmental. They are environmentalists who do not know the facts. He changed his tune when he met one of these environmental Fort Chipewyan with a copy of the report during the election campaign. Here is the report Environmental Defense. Yes, I have heard a lot about. The government does not to our requests, including those concerning cancer at home. Stelmach said he is in its duty to protect prosperity of Alberta and that will travel to Fort Chipewyan after the elections, if it has the support of locals. The extraction of crude oil oil sands is very energy intensive. People would shocked if they knew how much oil the United States import into Canada. Obama is in Canada for his first presidential trip. Obama and Harper will discuss trade, energy and environment. Groups environmental press Obama to reduce dependence of the United States oil sands sands of Alberta, Canada. What country the United States imports they most of their oil? If you answered Saudi Arabia, you are mistaken. This is Canada. We should perhaps tone down when we renegotiate NAFTA. Oil Sands operate at breakneck speed, supported by corporate interests for the integration of economies and resources in North America. The proportionality clause NAFTA provides a percentage energy resources continues to flow south. This means increasing the export a limited resource. The oil sands are becoming the largest project industrial history. With production that there are five-fold, networks of oil sands extend across the continent. With a new agreement called Partnership security and prosperity NAFTA will Energy Security United States but not that of Canada. Canada remains one of the few industrialized countries to have kept no power for himself. These agreements may also apply to the water. The Prime Minister said that Canada is an energy superpower. Voice of Gordon Laxer, Political Economy, U. Alberta But a superpower should exercise its influence independently. What kind of superpower let foreign companies dominate its resources? Canada sells its greatest resource only 25 cents a barrel, to multinationals like Exxon? He gives up the right to set its own prices, to limit exports to reduce its CO2 emissions. What kind of superpower ensures safety energy of its neighbors when she did not even plan to meet the needs Canadians? Enbridge: Kinder Morgan: TransCanada: 600,000 barrels per day to Illinois and Oklahoma We have become a energy supplier submitted to the United States. This is a result of NAFTA and clause proportionality of NAFTA. Canadians must ask themselves serious questions the consequences. Suppose that we faced a severe shortage natural gas in the country. What would happen if we try to keep NAFTA Meeting, 2005 for our purposes a part of the natural gas part of exports to the United States? We would then it is not possible. Treaties are signed between two nations. My first nation a government in itself, on our ancestral lands. When governments Alberta and Canada breaking the promise they Mount made in this treaty then, the treaty no longer applies. I ask them to resume their paper towel and I'll take my country. The story - before the white man Restoration site Observatory and buffalo You see the earth was dug to extract the oil sands and they replant the trees there. The land is restored. So now, bison can live, life is returning. I see. That's why the buffalo are here. Yes, when they dig, they must return the land in the same condition it was. This is the agreement they have concluded with the natives. The land can be restored. Before the operation, quality was poor, because originally it contained many hydrocarbons. This limited land use. Over the years, Oil content in the soil will be extracted. They are right when they say that the earth will be better than before because oil is a and they remove the contaminant. So by removing the oil, it relieves the region of a contaminant? - Right. - Explain to me. The act of withdrawing from 8 to 12% bitumen found in the sand improves the quality of the land because the bitumen is mixed with sand. But if you dig 90 meters in the soil to remove the trees, shaving entire forests. Do you consider this as an improvement the environment? Not necessarily. It depends on the point of view. Remove trees is not necessarily an improvement, but is it that trees can back in 50 or 60 years? I think so. It must be recognized they have brought together experts international told them, These wetlands have thousands of years to form. We can not regenerate quickly. They know they can not recover these lands to their original state. Despite this, watching TV and there is all the propaganda. They do not want that the public is aware of that. How is it the destruction of an aquifer does not fall under the jurisdiction the Privacy Act the environment? Aaron spoke to a representative of the Ministry of Alberta Environment. It is a question of use and water contamination. We have more water in the mountains if these guys continue what they do. What will we drink? What do your kids drink? They ask me: "Do you drive a car?" Yes, of course. "Do you drink water?" It is said that the operation sands of Athabasca will exhaust all water resources, if the oil and gas is not stopped, and you tell me that your department can do nothing less than a to have evidence? There have never been proven! What am I supposed to do? You too. Goodbye. He says he manages criminal cases. It was the pits. - The Ministry of the Environment? - From Alberta, yes. Because of agreements international trade it is difficult for citizens to oppose to resource extraction at national level. Representatives from Fort Chip are turning to international markets. We will make a presentation Oil Sands. This is a special session dedicated to the delegation Fort Chipewyan on the subject. Are you nervous? - No. - Liar. Are you kidding! Mikisew Cree Denes and the Athabasca addressed to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to request a moratorium on any new approval the oil sands. When I returned from Canada, from their ancestral lands, I was completely dismayed by what I saw. Aboriginal Coalition Environment I travel around the world, in indigenous territories of developing countries or there are disasters related to mining. But I went to the sands sands and sites there. This is the situation the worst I've seen. A developed country such as Canada, boasting its policy on Human Rights, allow such things! Mordor is alive and thriving in northern Canada. Desolation, destruction, water contamination. These are very serious problems. What happens here is the recipe for destruction Total country. The thirst for oil thirst for energy, and greed of shareholders. There is a big demand crack in the street then there is always a supplier. There is a big demand for oil while Alberta will continue to provide it as there will be. If it takes 200 or 300 years to remove it completely, they will do. What next? We create a vicious circle contamination and depletion of water. All that to extract oil from the ground. And it's not a chance. It is created and run by technology. We want to maintain a relatively easy way of life. We want to continue the American dream. And we believe that technology will allow us to find solutions to problems real that lie ahead. The pressure on oil reserves, on climate and on our resources be relieved by a technological solution. There will be one. We will find it. The new technician that captures and stores carbon, is the subject of this statement. When it is fully marketed, it will collect CO2 emissions due to the operation oil sands and central thermal coal and store them underground. Americans and Canadians say the oil sands are dirty oil because extraction methods. Would you say it dirty oil? We know that the oil sands create a big impact on CO2. I think the United States and Canada can work together for carbon capture and greenhouse gas emissions before they are released into the atmosphere. And it will be good for everyone. Because if we do not we will reach a ceiling limiting development our economy and quality of life we hold dear. I think technology solve this problem. It is assumed these natural resources are there. That even if they are not renewable in some cases technology will to our rescue. But one day we will face the big question: do we continue to lead a lifestyle that is unsustainable? We have become highly dependent on oil, at all levels, and that's the problem. With the oil sands we touch the bottom. Faced with the scarcity of fresh water and changes climate undeniable our dependence on oil has never been more evident. The only real solution is to change our way life unbearable. Finally, Dr. O'Connor has been silenced for about a year. When his case was submitted the College of Physicians and Surgeons, He was cleared of all the charges, except one. He is still accused of unduly panicked population. Come. I am very anxious that the situation back to normal. Let's focus on that. And I do not know if it return to normal. I received a letter. The College of Physicians has yet written to the lawyer. Doctors at Health Canada analyzed the situation and we still wonder to summarize the facts. I have nothing new to say and I stand by everything I said. In hindsight, I must say it was extremely stressful and it is not finished. Ah! Look at that! - It's much better. - But it is still low. Let's see what we have here. It was full when my parents found that source. You feel a little better because they have canceled plans pipeline and drilling. For now. We do not know not what that means. For the future, I do not know. I would like to something in place before operations resume. Now is the calm before the storm. Just as the price of oil increases and they will come back. If there is something interesting here they'll take it. That's the problem. I do not know if I want to export water. It is no longer a business issue. I changed my mind. Do I want to produce million plastic bottles? It's part of our problem. This is even more unnecessary waste. So now I think more to the conservation water than profits. What they do is wrong. And I'm not afraid to express my concerns and even to protest. It is not just First Nations, but all of Canada. And I do not think should support the war rampant in the world with our oil which is operating here, in the Athabasca region. I am convinced. I know why I leading this battle. It is for this reason. It is not only to preserve the nature, but to protect my people. Because if everything disappears, it is almost certain that we will disappear as well. A study of Health Canada now admits the number of cancer Fort Chipewyan was higher than expected. In 2009, the First Nation The Athabasca Chipewyan filed suit against the Government of Canada. |
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