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February 15, 2008 Environmental Defence, a national organization that works with citizens, decision-makers and businesses on environmental issues, released a report today in Ottawa slamming the federal government for its inaction and indifference to Canadian laws designed to protect our health, safety and environment from large-scale industrial projects.
“Everything about the tar sands happens on a massive scale,” writes Environmental Defence in the report. “The enormous toxic problems go hand-in-hand with massive global warming pollution and the impending destruction of a boreal forest the size of Florida.” The report gives evidence of how the impact of the tar sands is spreading, like a massive oil tanker leak: Water is being polluted by toxic seepage from tar sands tailing ponds that are so concentrated with poisons that birds die from landing there; fish downstream are found floating with bulging eyes, deformed spines and tumours; acid rain from tar sands pollution is falling as far away as Saskatchewan; oil tankers the size of West Edmonton mall will be running along the B.C. coastline bringing oil to Asia, and; huge amounts of emissions are expected in Sarnia, Ontario where a massive oil refinery will turn bitumen into crude oil. But even with the existing evidence, the federal government refuses to use federal legislation to ensure sustainable – if that is even possible – tar sands development. The federal Fisheries Act (meant to protect waterways from pollution), the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (meant to prevent pollution in order to protect Canada’s environment and the health of Canadians) and the Canadian Environmental Act (meant to ensure major industrial projects do not cause significant environmental impacts) are all there to protect Canadians, the report concludes. Instead of using these legislative tools, the federal government has left it up to the Alberta government to regulate tar sands development. Alberta’s approach has been to let the industry regulate itself – which is about the same as doing nothing at all. The Harper government’s unstated commitment to a fivefold expansion of the tar sands recommended by the tar sands working group of the Security and Prosperity Partnership means there is little to no hope for sustainable development. And without a Canadian Energy Strategy, it means energy corporations continue to be in control of Canada’s energy future with citizens paying the devastating environmental, social and physical price. The SPP agenda of fivefold expansion of the tar sands would extend the federal government’s negligence concerning the environmental (land, air and water) impacts, and ignore the serious health risks posed by tar sands pollutants. The Council of Canadians recently joined a group of national and international environmental, social justice, labour, faith, landowner, academic and First Nation groups who are all calling on the Alberta government to issue “no new approvals” of tar sands projects. Only a halt on any new approvals will provide the time needed to properly study serious tar sands problems and develop a plan that adequately addresses the social, economic, cultural and environmental concerns. To read Environmental Defence’s report, click here. To sign the “No new approvals” petition, click here.
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