The Boreal Forest

FORT CHIPEWYAN — Hollywood director James Cameron agreed Tuesday to help aboriginals in Fort Chipewyan, Alta. to take legal action against the federal and Alberta governments for polluting the Athabasca River.

The agreement was reached in a private meeting Tuesday between Cameron and aboriginal leaders from the Fort Chipewyan region near Fort McMurray, where critics have said massive oilsands developments are polluting the river systems.

Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said after the meeting Cameron agreed to either help fundraise or donate money directly himself for legal action against the provincial government.

Cameron flew in to talk to aboriginal leaders and residents about oilsands development at Fort Chipewyan’s community hall Tuesday afternoon.... Read more »

FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — Hollywood director James Cameron, whose blockbuster movie Avatar was a scathing criticism against environmental degradation, toured Syncrude's oilsands facility in northeastern Alberta Tuesday.

Cameron arrived at the site north of Fort McMurray by helicopter. Accompanied by Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner, the director was shown a reclaimed slough known as Bill's Lake, then was whisked away to view an in situ operation, in which heat is used to extract bitumen from deep underground.

"When you fly over it, from a distance you see how much of the natural landscape is being affected. So it's important to understand what the long-term impacts of that are and what the short-term impacts are in terms of health and environment for the First Nations communities," Cameron said.... Read more »

Hollywood director James Cameron arrived in Fort McMurray, Alta., late Monday afternoon to start his tour of the oilsands.

Cameron, the Canadian-born director of blockbuster films Avatar and Titanic, arrived from Vancouver on an Air Canada Jazz flight around 5 p.m. MT.

After being greeted by a small delegation, Cameron walked briskly through the airport arrivals area to a vehicle waiting outside.

"It's good, yeah," Cameron told the CBC's Briar Stewart. "I've been meaning to come here for a long time."

Cameron then boarded a helicopter with two local First Nations leaders to start his tour of the oilsands, which is scheduled to include a fly-over of Syncrude's tailings ponds.

On Tuesday, Cameron is scheduled to fly to Fort Chipewyan, Alta., to meet with residents and community leaders before heading to Edmonton.... Read more »

EDMONTON — A committee of independent scientists is being recruited to review conflicting water monitoring data from Alberta's oilsands regions, the provincial government announced Friday.

Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner said a review is critical.

"I need to have total and complete assurance in data before I make decisions on how best to balance environmental protection with development. Albertans deserve to have this assurance as well."

The announcement came with a promise.

... Read more »

Last Friday, U.S. satirist Stephen Colbert turned Washington on its ear by testifying before a Congressional subcommittee studying whether migrant farm workers should earn legal rights.

He appeared in character as the faux-conservative talk show host he plays on the Comedy Network which amused some representatives, bemused others and had a whole host of observers asking themselves, what does this television comedian know about migrant farm labour?

After promising to tell the "whole truthiness" and declaring "one day of studying anything makes me an expert," Colbert -- who had been invited by a Democrat committee member -- effectively turned his appearance into a Colbert Report skit: "This is America. I don't want a tomato picked by a Mexican. I want it picked by an American then sliced by a Guatemalan and served by a Venezuelan in a spa where a Chilean gives me a Brazilian."... Read more »