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.
Report calls for expanded nuclear industry in Alberta and Sask.
CBC News // 09/11/08
The fight over the possibility of building an Alberta nuclear reactor has erupted again following the release of a report from the Canada West Foundation.
The report suggests a reactor should be built in either Alberta or Saskatchewan in order to fight global warming and cash in on what the author calls a "nuclear revival" around the world.
Halt oilsands, chiefs say
Brodie Thomas
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 15, 2008
RADILIH KOE'/FORT GOOD HOPE - Some First Nations leaders are calling for a moratorium on tar sands expansion, and they made a promise to continue educating people living in the Mackenzie basin about threats to their water system.
They gathered in Fort Good Hope during the first week in September for a territorial water conference.
Shady employment agents prey on foreign workers
Seeking work, would-be immigrants are charged placement fees for jobs that don't exist
Joanne Lee-Young, Vancouver Sun // August 31, 2008
Antonio Navarro's story speaks of the uglier side of what is happening as B.C. targets the Philippines as a source of labour to ease its shortages.
First Nation coalition threatens blockades over oil pipeline
Jason Warick
Saskatchewan News Network; Canwest News Service
September 15, 2008
SASKATOON -- The chief of a Saskatchewan First Nation is leading a coalition of First Nations considering blockades or other action to halt construction of a multimillion-dollar oil pipeline until their concerns are addressed.
First Nations from across Western Canada meet today and Tuesday in Edmonton to plot their strategy, Red Pheasant Chief Sheldon Wuttunee said in an interview Sunday.
Fort Chip to world: SOS
Posted on September 14, 2008 by zandernat
Climate change, water policy and aboriginal health. Three issues that should be atop the election agenda. Three issues that start with the oil sands.
Canadians are dying. Our government is doing nothing about it. Will it take world attention to end this injustice?
Oilsand fears wrestle benefits
Majority of Albertans don't buy 'dirty oil' label
Kelly Cryderman, Calgary Herald // September 14, 2008
Albertans appear conflicted about the massive oilsands -- a resource nearly everyone agrees is an economic bonanza for the province, but one many feel is accompanied by a worrying array of environmental and human health effects.
In a wide-reaching Leger Marketing poll of 962 Albertans focused on their impressions of the oilsands, respondents were clearly concerned about the industry's impacts, especially when it comes to health complaints.
Natives push moratorium on Shell methane project
The Canadian Press
September 13, 2008
Prince Rupert -- Support is growing for a moratorium on drilling in an area called the Sacred Headwaters, say opponents of a coal-bed methane project near the Nass River in northern British Columbia.
More than 150 people attended an information meeting in New Aiyansh this week to discuss the project proposed by Shell Canada.
In 2004, Shell Canada was awarded a 400,000-hectare tenure for coal-bed methane development in the area, also known as the Klappan.
Alberta oil spill kills hundreds of birds
NORVAL SCOTT AND DAWN WALTON
With a report from The Canadian Press
September 10, 2008
CALGARY -- Alberta's oil and gas industry is again in the environmental dock, as a spill at an oil well in the province has killed up to 500 ducks and swallows, according to reports from the scene.
The birds died after landing in the spill, which was found Monday at an out-of-service conventional oil well in the southwest corner of CFB Suffield, in southeastern Alberta. The well is operated by Calgary-based Harvest Energy Trust.
Oilsands fatality raising eyebrows
By KEVIN CRUSH, SUN MEDIA
The second fatal incident on the Horizon oilsands project in less than two years has officials raising eyebrows.
Richard Boyd Boughner, 47, of Love, Sask., was killed Wednesday when the floating backhoe he was operating flipped in a tailings pond at the Horizon site north of Fort McMurray.
On April 4, 2007, a tank collapse on the sprawling site killed two foreign workers from China.
This project should likely become a lightening rod against Sag-D production as it is also one of the dirtiest in history, as it uses a gunk it calls "asphaltene"-- the left over crap from the Sag-D project. This produces vastly higher GG emissions, which are already on average 3-4 times higher than in regular oil in tar sands production, and slightly more in Sg-D production. This plant is only 8 kilometers from the indigenous and Metis settlement of Anzac.
--M
Long Lake tar sands project on track for first production later this month
September 2, 2008 - 21:58
