Call Made For Independent Oilsands Monitor

Call Made For Independent Oilsands Monitor

Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 13:12

Despite a recently-released report that condemns the environmental toll Alberta’s oilsands are having in Saskatchewan and elsewhere, a northern leader is still “pretty eager” about the development near her community.

However, La Loche Mayor Georgina Jolibois says she constantly reminds government and industry about the need to preserve her band’s traditional way of life.

Jolibois says her community has been pushing for the creation of a regional environmental monitoring association for a few years now.

She says it would give local residents a chance to voice environmental concerns related to Alberta’s tar sands, as well as the oilsands development near her community.

Jolibois says various levels of government have been approached about funding — but she says the agency, when it’s formed, would be independent from both government and industry.