Oil Sands in Canada - 540 Words

This affects local population settlements along the banks. The production of the oil sands is a human rights issue as it effects local drinking water , an environmental issue with the destruction of local wildlife and an first nations people issue. By and large the general public in Canada and the United States do not know what is going on in northern Alberta. The public still does not fully comprehend how First Nations communities are the most negatively affected. First Nation Canadians live very close to the oil sands , mostly along the Athabasca River basin area. These are the First Nations communities of Fort McMurray, Fort Chipewyan and Fort McKay. The oil sand production plants around Fort McMurray and Fort McKay are located north along the Athabasca river . Currently oil sands production and storage of toxic waste has completely changed the Athabasca river and surrounding wetlands. This production and storage has caused de-forestation , toxic contamination of rivers and wetla nds and disruption of wild life habitats. These changes to the environment have disturbed the way of life that people in these communities grew up on , currently the levels of mercury and lead in the Athabasca river are high enough that residents will not eat the fish in the river. For the last seven years Canada has become the top provider for oil to the united states edging out Saudi Arabia, its this need to produce oil on a large capacity that is fuelling the destruction of the surroundingShow MoreRelatedCanada ´s Oil Sands Essay1875 Words   |  8 Pages Introduction The statement ‘Canada oil sands are much more of a blessing rather than a curse’ is not true because the disadvantages of oil sands outweigh the advantages. For this reason, this paper aims at indicating points against the statement. 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