Fort Chipewyan: Tracking the oilsands
Whether you call it the tar sands or the oilsands, there is no shortage of websites and think-tanks that track the massive projects in northern Alberta. Here are a few links for you to explore:
oilsands.alberta.ca
This is the Alberta government's official website about the oilsands. You'll find government releases, links to regulatory hearings and approvals, and the government's policies and research.
www.health.alberta.ca
This the Alberta government's department of Health and Wellness.
www.canadasoilsands.ca/en/forum/topic.aspx?id=40
A website that encourages debate about the oilsands. It is an industry-funded and hosted website via the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.
www.oilsandswatch.org
A website dedicated to news and policies around oilsands extraction, refining and its environmental effects. Created and hosted by The Pembina Institute, a non-partisan think-tank.
www.oilsandstruth.org
An unaffiliated website advocating for a "full shut down of all related projects" to the oilsands.
www.tarsandswatch.org
Hosted by The Polaris Institute, this website advocates for a moratorium on Alberta's oilsands projects.
Audio & Video
- ListenDr. O'Connor speaks with CBC Radio's Ron Wilson
- Mar. 10, 2006 | The original interview that caused a firestorm (7:14)
- ListenShelagh Rogers' Fort Chipewyan broadcast - Pt. 1
- May 2006 | Rogers hosted her national show from Ft. Chip to highlight the health concerns plaguing this community and government inaction (24:00)
- ListenShelagh Rogers' Fort Chipewyan broadcast - Pt. 2
- May 2006 | The Sounds Like Canada host speaks with Dr. John O'Connor and health officials (28:00)
- ListenShelagh Rogers' Fort Chipewyan broadcast - Pt. 3
- May 2006 | CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers speaks with residents, elders and CBC reporter Erik Denison about the need for action. (24:00)
- ListenAlberta Health releases first cancer study results
- Jul. 14, 2006 | Alberta Health releases the analysis of cancer and disease rates in Fort Chipewyan at a Suncor hearing (1:52)
- Listen Arsenic levels 453 times higher than normal
- Nov. 11, 2007 | Donna Cyprien, Fort Chipewyan's Nunee Health Board director and Alberta Health's Alex McKenzie discuss the findings (8:26)
- ListenSounds Like Canada: Fort Chipewyan 1 yr. later
- Mar. 2007 | CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers, talks to CBC reporter Erik Denison about government inaction one year after Dr. O'Connor spoke out publicly (19:31)
- Listen Alberta won't study health concerns further
- CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers speaks with the Alberta Health's Alex Mackenzie about his decision not to launch further health studies of the community (15:36)
- Listen'Whistleblower' doctor gets wide support
- Mar. 5, 2007 | CBC Radio's Ron Wilson discusses the professional and community support for Dr. O'Connor after Health Canada filed a complaint against him (5:38)
- ListenWhat does a community do one year later?
- CBC reporter Erik Dennison explains the timeline of events of Fort Chipewyan's health concerns (6:19)
- ListenAlberta to test 30,000 for toxins
- Apr. 16, 2007 | Alberta will test the blood of thousands for toxins from industrial processes and household products (6:04)
- ListenDr. John O'Connor one year later
- Aug. 2007 | CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers speaks with Dr. John O'Connor about his frustrations with getting help for Fort Chipewyan (23:46)
- ListenIndependent study reveals high levels of toxins
- Nov. 8, 2007 | Randy Henderson of CBC Radio's Trailbreaker program speaks with ecologist Kevin Timoney, about his study (7:04)
- ListenNikiforuk explains results of Timoney study
- Nov. 2008 | Environment journalist and author Andrew Nikiforuk discusses results of Timoney's analysis of Fort Chipewyan's drinking water source (11:03)
- WatchCrude Awakening - Pt. 1
- Dec. 2007 | CBC-TV's Darrow MacIntyre presents a 2-part feature documentary about the oilsands' environmental costs (16:01)
- WatchCrude Awakening - Pt. 2
- Dec. 2007 | CBC-TV's Darrow MacIntyre presents part 2 of his feature documentary about the oilsands' environmental costs (16:01)
- WatchA town's toxic questions
- Dec. 2007 | The people of Fort Chipewyan hired their own expert to find out if their food is toxic. A town is living in fear--we ask Alberta's environment ministry what it's doing about it (20:23)
- Watch500 ducks are found dead
- Apr. 29, 2008 | Ducks land in a Syncrude Energy tailings pond at its Aurora North Site mine, north of Fort McMurray. Kim Trynacity reports. (1:48)
- ListenSearch widens for oil-covered ducks in Alberta
- May 2, 2008 | A hunter discovered an oil-coated duck in Wood Buffalo Park, about 250km away from the tailings ponds where 500 ducks landed (2:39)
- ListenAlberta launches 'comprehensive' health study
- May 22, 2008 | CBC Radio's Erik Denison reports on the province's announcement (5:50)
- WatchNDP leader calls for oilsands halt during election
- Sep. 8, 2008 | Jack Layton wants no new oilsands approvals until environmental concerns are addressed (1:51)
- ListenFort Chipewyan rejects Alberta Cancer Board study
- Nov. 10, 2008 | The study into cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan will not be the comprehensive probe promised, area health officials and community leaders say (8:13)
