The Tar Sands and the Impact on the Aboriginal Community

For Immediate Release-Regulate the tar sands and uphold treaty and human rights to water

http://indigenist.blogspot.com/2009/05/for-immediate-release-regulate-tar.html

For Immediate Release

Community Groups Send Strong Message to Feds:

Regulate the tar sands and uphold treaty and human rights to water

May 12th, 2009 (Edmonton, AB)- The House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development begins its formal hearing on the impacts on Water by the Tar Sands Extraction today in Edmonton. Concerned community members, union representatives, non-government organizations and First Nations have gathered together outside the Hearings to send a strong message to the commissioners of the hearings.

“Water is sacred to the Aboriginal people of the land and we want a voice!,” said Alice Martin, an Aboriginal grassroots community member from the Fort McMurray region.

“The Federal government has a fiduciary responsibility to uphold its treaty obligations and consult on a Nation to Nation basis with First Nations, regarding infrastructure projects built within their traditional territories,” said Eriel Deranger Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation member and Rainforest Action Network Campaigner.

Since March 2009 the Environment Committee has been discussing water and the tar sands, the process however has excluded the voices of many communities impacted by Tar Sands extraction in particular the Unions, the up-grader communities, farmers, grassroots First Nations, and those living in the development zones.

“Tar Sands development is more than just the mine sites, it is the whole infrastructure needed to refine the tar sands into usable crude. This includes the lines of pipe, and the development of Upgraders, far beyond the boundaries of Alberta, which have huge consequences for water and the fertility of the land.” explains Barb Collier a farmer from Alberta's Industrial Heartland. “The federal government needs to know that their decisions to regulate tar sands is going to have far reaching impacts right across this country.”

“Tar Sands are not just contaminating the Athabasca River, they are contaminating the whole Athabasca/Mackenzie watershed; a watershed which is estimated to house 1/5th of Canada’s fresh water resources!” emphasizes Harvey Scott a representative of Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed Council, “With an estimated 11 million liters of toxic chemicals leaking daily from the tailing lakes, there is definitely a federal responsibility to ensure action is taken on tar sands to uphold both treaty and human rights to water are respected.

Today’s events are supported by the Indigenous Environmental Network, Council of Canadians, Sierra Club Prairie Chapter, Greenpeace and the Rainforest Action Network, highlighting the growing coalition effort byFirst Nations, provincial community groups and national organizations to draw attention to the devastating impacts of tar sands development.

Adding to today's event, there will be a public forum at 7pm at the Trans Alta Art Barn where Fort Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam and Francois Paulette - Member, Fort Fitzgerald First Nation will be leading a discussion around the impacts of the tar sands


For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Connie Bresnahan, Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed Council - (780) 816- 0654 athabasca.bio.soc@hotmail.com

Eriel Deranger, Rainforest Action Network and Member of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation - (587) 785-1558 ederanger@ran.org