The Boreal Forest

EDMONTON — The Mikisew Cree First Nation withdrew its constitutional challenge of an oilsands mining project Wednesday in exchange for an undisclosed sum of money and a confidential "social contract."

The hearing to review Total's Joslyn North Mine project adjourned on Tuesday, after the joint federal-provincial panel was told the Mikisew Cree would challenge the project on constitutional grounds.

"Mikisew's concerns with the mine were borne out of frustration with the governments of Canada and Alberta over the mismanagement of oilsands lands in their traditional territory," said the band's lawyer, Don Mallon.... Read more »

EDMONTON — An oilsands company executive said Wednesday he wants to sit at the table with environmentalists to work out a “progressive solution” to issues in the industry.

Marcel Coutu, CEO of Canadian Oil Sands and chairman of Syncrude’s board, met with broadcaster and environmentalist David Suzuki last Friday in an apparent attempt to further that cause. Suzuki said he rebuffed a request from Coutu, who asked him to broker a truce between energy companies and environmentalists.... Read more »

WASHINGTON - An aboriginal man from the Northwest Territories believes he captured the attention of Washington decision-makers this week by explaining how he brings his own drinking water when he canoes because pollution from Alberta's oilsands has fouled once-pristine rivers.

Francois Paulette said he used the anecdote to drive home the message that the oilsands may be a secure source of energy for the United States, but are contributing to climate change and hurting people, animals, birds and fish.

"There are a multitude of downstream effects by the tarsands and we are feeling it," Paulette, a member of the Smith's Landing Treaty 8 First Nation, said from the U.S. capital Wednesday. "Now when I travel the river I have to bring fresh drinking water."... Read more »

Better to describe Canada's oil sands crude as 'the devil's tears.'

Andrew Nikiforuk, TheTyee.ca

"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that." -- Thomas Edison, 1931

Aided by small-minded extremists, Big Oil has a new argument to defend the shoddy management of Canada's oil sands. It goes like this: Canadian oil is fundamentally ethical compared to the world's worst oil producers.... Read more »

Recently, tailings ponds have been in the public eye due to the deaths of ducks. This has been held as an example by Greenpeace and others as an aftermath of the industrial fallout from oilsands projects. Several native groups in the UK, U.S. and Europe have protested against the impact of the oilsands.

Other reports state that the Athabasca River is being polluted downstream from oilsands developments with cancer-causing carcinogens in the water, contaminating the drinking water for First Nations in the area.

Lead and mercury levels contained within the fish are at alarming levels according to experts in the industry, including First Nations, provincial and federal officials, Fisheries Canada and Health Canada staff.

Deer, moose, bison, elk, caribou and rabbits are also drinking this water and as such, affecting the food chain, including people residing in the area who are maintaining a traditional livelihood and lifestyle.... Read more »