DoomsdaysCWFor #Indigenous communities in ‘#Alberta,’ the #OilIndustry has left an ugly stain
Facing #OilSpills, evacuations and #illness — nations downstream of the #OilSands grieve their way of life, as the #corporations polluting their water get richer
By Brandi Morin, December 7, 2023
Excerpt: "The rush of the wind and sprays of water add to the thrill as Jason Castor guides his riverboat through a stretch of #LakeAthabasca near #FortChipewyan, in #Treaty8 territories. If he slows down, his boat could get stuck in the mud or even flip over because the water levels in this spot are remarkably low. He steers around buoys, dodges logs and other debris while accelerating to the mouth of the channel, which he knows should be deep enough to navigate at an average speed.
"While trawling his boat further down the river, Castor points to odd-looking clusters resembling dirty foam floating by.
" 'There’s just a slurry of a foam that looks like #oil or some kind of #chemical in there,' says Castor, a 42-year-old father, construction business owner and member of the #AthabascaChipewyan #FirstNation (#ACFN).
"He’s been a traditional hunter, trapper and fisherman for nearly 20 years and has documented strange changes in the water, the land and animals.
"Something’s going on in the river, he says.
" 'They say that it’s natural, well, I know that that’s not natural because I’ve been on the river my whole life,' he explains as he points to brown and #WhiteFoam, #OilSheens and other discoloured formations floating on the river.
"Nowadays, it’s risky to navigate these waterways because of industrial intakes like the #WACBennettDam to the west in B.C.; the #AlbertaOilSands just up the river and impacts from #ClimateChange.
"The #PeaceAthabascaDelta is the second-largest #freshwater delta in the world.
"The #AthabascaRiver, and the larger delta, also sit atop the world’s largest known reservoir of #CrudeBitumen.
"The industry that has sprung up around it drives Alberta’s and Canada’s economy, employing about 138,000 people. In 2021, crude bitumen production totaled approximately 3.3 million barrels per day. The oil sands energy sector including oil sands, conventional #OilAndGas, mining and quarrying is valued at about $18 billion.
"But while Canada prospers off the oil sands industry, #Indigenous communities downstream are dealing with its #toxic impacts.
"Not only are the water levels fluctuating, but the health of the water flowing through the Athabasca River is jeopardized."
#CanPol #CanadaPol #Alberta #TarSands #BigOilAndGas #OilSands #WaterIsLife #Pollution #Environment #Oiligarchy
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