Fort Chip.

FORT CHIP.
THE #1 CANADIAN ABORIGINAL MAGAZINE
CANCER
WHY IT IS
ATTACKING AND
WHAT YOU CAN
DO ABOUT IT
LEGACY
HOW HISTORICAL
GLOBALIZATION
AFFECTS OUR
QUALITY OF LIFE
SPECIAL EDITION!
WHERE HAVE
THE OIL SANDS
TAKEN US?
SEE INSIDE...
SPECIAL EDITION 2017
PLEASE DISPLAY UNTIL 05/30/17
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FORT CHIP.
Special Edition Contents -
P. 4 From Then To Now - A Timeline of Events
? Explore how the Northern Alberta oil sands progressed
with our map directing you from beginning to present.
THE EDITOR
Jenessa Gordon
jenessa.gordon@prs26.ca
I am committed to
matters which demand
First Nations attention
and are passionate in
their work, ensuring their
readers get the most out
of Fort Chip. magazine.
P. 6 Pollut ion - Since the Beginning...
? Learn the dynamics of the oil sands debate and jump
into the world of controversy over what we value.
P. 10 Fired - The Story of a Man who Spoke Up
? Take part in the journey with Dr. John O'Connors. The
mystery of his job termination astounds us all.
P. 11 The Set Up -How Historical Globalization
Influenced Present Day Fort Chipewyan
? Answer why Alberta is the way it is and how many origins
came about through colonization.
On t he Cover Chief of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Allan
Adam, speaks to the media at a conference in Ottawa held in 2013.
IMAGE SOURCE: Andre Forget/QMI Agency for Fort McMurray Today
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* Source: "Living Planet Report 2016." World Wildlife Foundation. 2016. URL
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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Where the Significance Lies
As spring rolled around, our team began reviewing our plans for the special edition of this
year. Ever since the beginning of the year, we have been anticipating it, the excitement
amplifying as the time disappeared. We are now proud to present to you the special edition of
2017: Where have the oil sands taken us?
Our mission was to create an issue which would be captivating and meaningful to the First
Nations of Alberta, emphasizing our unique perspective on world events given to us by our
heritage. We wanted to produce content which was applicable and relatable and to conjure up
a revelation for the future generations. In this edition, we focused primarily on debates over
tradition, the environment, health, the legacy left by historical globalization, and economic
disciplines, all in respect to the oil sands of Alberta.
Please take our message to heart and consider what steps you can take to advance our
indigenous culture and offer our skills and talents for the wellbeing of our communities and
population.
As always, I hope you enjoy this month's edition!
Jenessa Gordon
Editor
Our office is located at:
5029 26 Ave SW
Calgary AB T3E 0R5
Fort Chip. Magazine offers subscriptions for bi-monthly issues. Visit us
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FROM THEN
TO NOW
A TI MELI NE OF EVENTS
4
Image Source: Newscom

1715
James Knight, director of the
Hudson?s Bay Company, expresses
interest in how gum and pitch
flows out of the region which later
evolves to become the Athabasca
Oil Sands. (HBC)
2008
TransCanada Corp. announces a $7
billion expansion of pipeline systems to
be named the Keystone XL project. The
line was expected to be operational by
2009 but was backtracked. (Salon)
2009
The Cancer Incidence in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta
1995-2006 study prepared by the Alberta Cancer
Board for Health Canada evaluates data collected
regarding the issue is released. It is concluded
that the ?number of cancer cases observed in
Fort Chipewyan was higher than expected for all
cancers combined and for specific types of
cancer,? and that there was an increase in certain
cancers between the first study period
(1995-2000) and the second (2001-2006). 9
2017
Keystone XL Pipeline worries Fort Chipewyan
residents in the risk of an oil leakage or other
malfunctions which may amplify the current
cancer situation. (Brockman)
1788
Scottish explorer Sir Alexander
Mackenzie discusses the potential the
Athabasca area has for oil production
with his assistants. (Mercer)
2006
Athabasca Oil Company is
founded. (Ath. Oil Corp.)
Alberta oil production
increases and so does the
influence on the health of
Fort Chipewyan residents.
2003
Peace River Oil Sands realized to
be a valuable asset in Alberta
because of new retrieval
methods, such as CHOPS (Cold
Heavy Oil Production with Sand)
which would allow profit to come
from the area. (PetroWiki)
2014
The University of Manitoba, partnered with Mikisew Cree First
Nation and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, releases a study
proving the ecosystem surrounding Fort Chipewyan as significantly
infiltrated with cancer-causing toxic materials, many of which are
claimed to be from the nearby oil sands. It states, ?many argue that
[the Athabasca Oil Sands] has adverse and poorly understood
implications for environmental and human health." 25
2015
Dr. John O?Conner, a medical doctor helping residents in Fort
Chipewyan, had previously spoken out against the potentially
negative human health impact of the oil sands. He is accused of
causing "undue alarm" by Health Canada. He is terminated from
his job and threatened by the loss of his medical license. 23
NOW W HAT?
This is where the question comes in: Where do
we stand in the dispute over the oil sands? As the
First Nations of Canada, we must evaluate our
values and what we prize. It is crucial that we
form a solid opinion on current events to best
understand how to purpose ourselves to
benefit future generations of the world. We
must attack each event which comes our way,
interrogate it to call a positive action of
ourselves.
This image (right) depicts
a 2013 poll by Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs on behalf
of the Canadian
Association of Petroleum
Producers concluded
that Canadians are
outstandingly divided
upon how they view the
oil sands. (Komnenic)
5
Image Source: Mining.com

POLLUTION
The Distasteful and Inevitable
Result of the Tar Sands
6
Image Source: Nexen

We are at the forefront of an intense
debate. Why is it taking so long?
SINCE THE
BEGINNING
Image source: Oil Change International
- of the oil obsession of Alberta, the
effects of production have been
combined with environmental issues,
political debates, social preferences,
and economic uncertainty to create a
combustible mix which is a risk for
residents, most notably those of Fort
Chipewyan. Anyone who knows a
thing about science understands that
contaminants flow easily from the
source through rivers, organisms, the
air, and numerous other media.
Unfortunately, those who live in the
highlighted areas (see graphic to the far
right), have the not so joyful experience
of being the waste bucket for both the
Peace River and Athabasca oil sands.
(Fort Chip. CBC)
The burden of living in these areas
includes higher cancer rates and more
toxic material in the systems of
humans and animals, and hazardous
wetlands and water. (Chen, UM Today)
Deformed fish have been found, many
diseased and struggling to survive the
toxins which have invaded their
precious space. (Brooymans) Within
certain regions, water from nearby
rivers inflicts irritating rashes upon
contact with the skin. (Steward)
Even more alarming is the economic
threat to these First Nations groups.
When the animals
they hunt are deemed unsafe
to kill and plants contain
harmful waste products from
oil production, these means of
livelihood cannot be sold
to sustain or improve finances.
Researchers have estimated
that before the contamination
became severe, approximately
80 percent of residents near
the oil sands obtained their
income from hunting and
fishing. (Assess. of Socioeconomic)
Natives have been experiencing a
wrenching loss of their traditional
way of life. Chief Janiver of the
Chipewyan Prairie Dene First
Nation expresses his concerns this
way, ?The extinction of caribou
would mean the extinction of our
people. The caribou is our sacred
animal; it is a measure of our way
of life. When the caribou are dying,
the land is dying.? The reason for
this is that they have been using
natural resources as not only a
method of survival but to
revitalize and celebrate culture.
Collective identity has been stolen
in pursuit of energy. When this
happens, they also lose their ability
to be self-sustaining and must
depend on other, non-traditional
ways to ensure a good quality of
life. Changes must be made to
7
prevent Aboriginals from being
culturally annihilated.
The conflict occurs when the 'other
side', that is, those who argue for the
development and exploitation of the
oil sands rather than against, claim
they have had difficulty finding any
major correlation between the Alberta
oil sands industry and deterioration of
the health of Fort Chipewyan
residents. Even after multiple studies
have been released and many events
have proven the health effects to be
linked to the oil sands, Alberta Health
Services denied such evidence as
meaning anything following a
government investigation.
Intriguingly, the data collected
indicated a 30 percent increase in
cancers over a twelve year period, a
seven-fold increase in bile

duct cancers, and elevated
frequencies of several other diseases.
(Droitsch)
Many First Nations actively
advocating for their own rights
explain that the main reason for this
refusal to acknowledge the problem
is due to mostly economic conflict
of interest. Despite these negative
impacts, the oil sands of Northern
Alberta have, and continue to, serve
Canada as a monumental source of
revenue which benefits the
federation, province, local
governments, and businesses.
According to the Canadian Energy
Research Institute, oil sands
development in Alberta will provide
approximately 3.6 trillion Canadian
dollars to the provincial GDP and
adding to the national total oil sands
development GDP of 4 trillion
Canadian dollars from 2015 to 2035.
Alberta accounts for more of the
national oil sands development GDP
than any other Canadian province or
territory. In addition, countless jobs
are offered through the oil and gas
industry. (Can. Oil Supply)
Losing exploitation of the oil sands
can easily be compared to the recent
oil and gas crisis in which, according
to an estimate by the Canadian
Association of Petroleum producers,
44 000 jobs in the oil patch were lost
since the downturn began. (Johnson)
This had an obvious economic
impact to it, which could be an effect
similar to ridding or compromising
the tar sands industry. Jobs and
revenue would be lost if the oil sands
were scaled back because of these
environmental and human health
concerns. Another effect is the
negative impact on families who are
dependent on the oil sands industry.
The results would be especially
dispiriting for those involved for
generations. Much like how the
traditions of the First Nations are
threatened when the oil sands are
developed, the tradition of the
"We will come together in unity and solidar ity to
pr otect our ter r itor y fr om the pr edations of big oil
inter ests, industr y, and ever ything that r epr esents."
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, regarding signing
the Treaty Alliance Against the Tar Sands
workers and companies suffers when
they are not. Discrediting and curtailing
what has long held Alberta together
would lead to desperate economic
times. To put it another way, 'you don't
bite the hand that feeds you'. This may
be what deniers such as Alberta Health
Services are considering to be above the
needs of the natives.
Nevertheless, September 22, 2016 was
the day First Nations groups across
North America signed a treaty alliance
against the oil sands. Their goal was to
work with the Prime Minister towards
a more sustainable future and to
preserve their ways of life. The treaty
read, "...our Nations hereby join
together under the present treaty to
officially prohibit and to agree to
collectively challenge and resist the use
of our respective territories and coasts
in connection with the expansion of
the production of the Alberta Tar
Sands," and continued to say that they
were to "do so knowing full well that it
is in the best interest of all peoples,
both Indigenous and non-Indigenous,
to put a stop to the threat of Tar Sands
expansion." (McSheffrey) Certainly
inspiring for those who support
restricting the oil sands and
anxiety-inducing for those who oppose
it. The debate rages on.
8
Oil production in Western Canada
(see graphic) is expected to increase
from now until 2030, at least in the
predictions created by the Canadian
Association of Petroleum Producers.
So really, to answer the question of
'Why is it taking so long?', we have to
understand all perspectives. Each
want their own way and
compromising would result in losing
something. The situation demands
everyone from residents to
governments to the workers of the oil
sands themselves. Each must decide
where they stand and figure what
they can do to better the present
conditions.
Already, actions have been taken.
Prior to and after the scientific
studies were released, awareness has
grown about the issue. Numerous
campaigns such as oilsandstruth.org
and Stand with Fort Chipewyan at
the University of Alberta have been
created to further this. The 2017 film
titled Tipping Point considers the tar
sands debate between economy,
human health, the environment, and
social issues. (Tipping) Fort
Chipewyan residents and other First
Nations regularly fight back against
the health hazards and cultural issues
impacting their quality of life due to
oil sands exploitation.
On the other hand, there are many
who claim the benefits of production,
most notably economic, are too
essential to be jeopardized. The oil
industry is still continuing to
produce energy for our markets.
Time will tell which path will be
taken and whether positive or
negative impacts will follow.

FINDOUT
BEFOREIT'STOOLATE.
Book today for a cancer consultation
with one of our certified
professionals.
Dr. Marta Bernard
Sr. Consultant, Medical Oncology
Dr. Joseph Nestor
Consultant, Surgical Oncology
Dr. Mirsanda Lithgow
Consultant, Surgical Oncology
Fort Chipewyan Cancer
Treatment & Prevention Centre
www.fortchipewyanctpc.ca
tel: 403 874 49321
4876 12 Ave NE
Wood Buffalo AB T6H 2R9
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your best interest to refrain from using our services, for they do not exist. Likewise, it is not necessary to contact us or
request more information.

Image Source: provided for CBC News
FIRED
-
The st ory of a m an
w ho spoke up
- When working as a physician for the Nunee
Health Board Society, this on-call family
physician for the citizens of Fort Chipewyan
noticed a peculiarity. Dr. John O'Connor was his
name, and he revealed his findngs.
He noted that there were higher-than average
rates of many diseases, most notably cancer of
various forms. He acknowledged the reports of
local fishermen and hunters who had complained
about misfigured aquatic species and unhealthy
land animals. Questioning if these happenings
were the results of the nearby tar sands, he made
headlines on media outlets.
Dr. O'Connor's information was doubted by
Health Canada. Threatened by the loss of his
medical lisence, he turned to support from
indegenous people he knew. Together, they
argued against what they would have referred to
as injustice and eventually managed to erase all
the charges and complaints on his record.
The Fort Chipewyan Health Centre where Dr. O'Connor
was a physician.
Image Source: Alex Denonville for the Northern Journal
However, on the eigth of May 2015, he
received a termination notice from the
hospital he had been working for with
committment for 15 years. It was an abrupt
and mysterious case. No reason was provided
for his dismissal while Dr. O'Connor was
expected to continue on in his confoundment.
?I am stunned," He stated about the
sudden event. "I got chest pain when I heard
this. I?m very sad.? He told APTN National
News that he would continue to advocate for
the rights of the commmunity and push for
more government research on the subject.
(Warren)
10

THE SET UP
- European imperialism is
arguably the main historical
globalization background
regarding these incidents. A habit
seems to have been made out of
repressing the natives of Canada
and, while it is less extreme than
when the first settlers came about,
is still prominent in Fort
Chipewyan due to the legacy left
by the colonists. The oppression
of the First Nations meant that
their interests were not
considered in decisions. In the
modern case, the criticality of
their physical health seems
virtually unknown.
In addition, their values, beliefs,
and traditions struggled to make
their way into treaties, land
claims, and other actions lead by
the Europeans within Canada.
One well known aspect of
aboriginal culture is the divine
integration of natural resources
and people. Commonly, in both
history and the current day, the
First Nations placed high respect
on the environment, seeing
themselves as spiritually related
to the earth. However, many
European colonists did not view
nature as something to be
especially mindful about. These
two perspectives clashed entirely
(Euro. Colonization) A historical
example
Emma
LaRoque
PhD
How Historical
Globalization Influenced
Present Day Fort
Chipewyan
of this is how the buffalo
were treated by both parties.
The ?Indians?, as they were named,
could make use of the entire buffalo
body, whereas the Europeans rejected
the parts which did not initially seem
have any purposeful application. It
was not long after imperialist arrival
in Canada that the buffalo
populations fell dramatically.
(Williams) The oil sands and its
effects on the environment serve as a
modern example. Traditional
indigenous lands experience harm -
an incidence which would likely
never have a chance to be permitted
in historical aboriginal society.
As well, the land a member of a tribe
resides on holds cultural significance.
The area typically grasps the essence
of ancestors and past experience,
while also sustaining current models
of living. (AFN) The result of this is
that natives today must choose
between remaining in Fort
Chipewyan but risking their health,
and leaving to decrease cancer
likelihood. They are also forced to
see the ecosystem being altered
"Aboriginal peoples are
trying to salvage what is
left...so that they can have
some self-determination..."
11
human methods, that is, the oil sands,
in which animals and other
organisms may be severely harmed
over time.
Emma LaRocque, a scholar and a
current professor in the Department
of Native Studies of the University of
Manitoba once wrote that,
"Aboriginal peoples are trying to
salvage what is left of their lands and
resources so that they can have some
self-determination with respect to
their identities for present and future
generations. Justice demands
confronting towns, governments and
corporations." (LaRocque)
As is evident, the imperialist phase of
globalization had effects which
continue to remain, even over
numerous centuries.

References
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Accessed 15 Apr. 2017.
?About us - Athabasca Oil Corporation.? Athabasca Oil Corporation. URL
https://www.atha.com/about/. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017.
?Appendix 6 - Sir 32 - Supplemental Information for the Jackpine Mine Expansion Project -
Assessment of Socioeconomic Effects on Aboriginal Groups.? Nichols Applied Management,
Management and Economic Consultants for Shell Canada Limited. May 2012. URL
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par/tabbedcontent_6c6f/tab_bba9/textimage_5b7.stream/1460666661950/20346a9dd56bc06
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Apr. 2017.
?A timeline of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.? Salon Media Group. 14 Jan. 2017. URL
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Accessed 15 Apr. 2017.
Brockman, Alex. ?Keystone XL approval worries northern Alberta's Fort Chipewyan Indigenous
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41180. Accessed 1 Apr. 2017.
Brooymans, Hanneke. ?Deformed fish found near Alberta oilsands developments.? Calgary Herald.
Postmedia News. URL
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3536319/story.html. Accessed 15 Apr. 2017.
?Canadian Oil Sands Supply Costs and Development Projects (2015-2035) - Study no. 152.? Canadian
Energy Research Institute. Aug. 2015. URL
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3e/1442433505501/CERI+Study+152+-+Final+Report. pdf. Accessed 13 Apr. 2017.
Chen, Yiqun. ?Cancer Incidence in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta 1995-2006.? Alberta Cancer Board, Feb.
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?Cold heavy oil production with sand.? PetroWiki. Society of Petroleum Engineers International.
URL http://petrowiki.org/Cold_heavy_oil_production_with_sand. Accessed 30 Mar. 2017.
Droitsch, Danielle and Terra Simieritsch. ?Canadian Aboriginal Concerns with Oil Sands.? The
Pembina Institute. Sept. 2010. URL
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2017.

?Fort Chipewyan cancer study suggesting oilsands link to be released today,? Canadian Broadcasting
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link-to-be- released-today-1.2698430. Accessed 30 Mar. 2017.
?Honouring Earth.? Assembly of First Nations. URL http://www.afn.ca/en/honoring-earth. Accessed
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?James Knight.? HBC Heritage. URL
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Johnson, Tracy. ?Just how many jobs have been cut in the oilpatch?.? Canadian Broadcasting
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LaRocque, Emma. ?Colonization and Racism.? National Film Board of Canada. URL
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McSheffrey, Elizabeth. ?First Nations across North America sign treaty alliance against the oilsands.?
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?Study finds oil sands creating ?perfect storm?of danger to flora, fauna and people.? UM Today.
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Warren Bell. ?Whistleblowing Alberta oil sands doctor fired abruptly.? National Observer. 11 May
2015. URL http://www.nationalobserver.com/2015/05/11/opinion/whistleblowing-albertaoil-sands-doctor-
fired-abruptly. Accessed 13 Apr. 2017.
Williams, Richard B. ?History of the Relationship of the Buffalo and the Indian.? Tankabar. Native
American Natural Foods. URL
http://www.tankabar.com/cgi-bin/nanf/public/viewStory.cvw?sessionid=%3C%3Csessionid%3E
%3E&sectionname=Buffalo%20Nation&storyid= 61954&commentbox=. Accessed 15 Apr. 2017.

Image Source: Aboriginal Canada
LIFE. CULTURE.
Join us for t he celebrat ion at
Tim berlea Plaza, 8:15 - 11:30 PM
on May 27 & 28t h, 2017.
Please note: The Alberta First Nations Culture Association is not a legitimate organization. It is in your best interest to refrain
from using our services, for they do not exist. Likewise, it is not necessary to contact us or request more information.