River expedition, Suncor disagree on oilsands impact; Suncor says criticism 'hurtful'

Sun Media, August 3, 2007, FORT MCMURRAY -- A Suncor official defended the oilsands giant’s record today amidst criticism about the industry’s environmental effects, particularly on water.
Brenda Erskine, Suncor’s director of community relations, said it’s frustrating to hear accusations the oilsands industry only cares about economic gain.

“It’s very hurtful to hear them say we don’t care,” said Erskine. “We do care about the river. Our employees live in this community.” Don van Hout, leader of the Athabasca River Expedition, stood beside his canoe and said the Alberta government has no plan for protecting the waterway and its watershed.

“At the headwaters of the Athabasca we were able to drink straight from the river without worrying about what was in it," said van Hout. “But right outside Jasper National Park and onward there are concerns about the water you’ll drink.”

The Athabasca River Expedition is backed by the Calgary-based Pembina Institute, an environmental advocacy group. The expedition set out from the glacial headwaters of the Athabasca in British Columbia five weeks ago and plans to paddle the river’s length to raise awareness about the toxic effluent from oilsands development.

George Poitras, a Mikisew Cree First Nations councillor and former chief, said the oilsands have had a “disturbing impact” on the aboriginal community of Fort Chipewyan. A physician found a number of rare cancers and other diseases among residents in the community, he said.

“People’s lives are cut short by cancers so rare that they shouldn’t be found in a community the size of Fort Chipewyan,” said Poitras.

He also spoke about the many fish found with tumours, low water levels and arsenic-infected wildlife living along the river. Celina Harper, an elder from the Fort McKay First Nation, spoke about the impact the oilsands have had on her community over the years.

She remembers when she was growing up she could scoop the river water up in a pail and drink it. She can’t do that now.

“It’s not the lives of the people that they care about. It’s the money that they take from our land,” said Harper.

“Without water we cannot survive. We cannot drink oil to survive.”

But Erskine said Suncor spends thousands of dollars studying the Athabasca River to ensure poisoning does not occur.

“So far, all monitoring has shown no impact.”

Poitras wants the provincial government to put a moratorium on new oilsands development and expansion until a plan is set out to protect the environment.

The Athabasca expedition will end its river trek in Fort Chipewyan, about 700 kilometres north of Edmonton, on Aug. 14. At that time, there will be a rally attended by officials from the Pembina Institute, native leaders and elders, and Dr. John O’Connor, the Fort McMurray physician who discovered rare cancers in the area.

University of Alberta water expert David Schindler and Melanie Nakagawa from the Natural Resources Defence Council will also speak at the event.