Two University of Saskatchewan researchers are examining the impacts of oilsands development on First Nations communities in Northern Alberta.
Clinton Westman is the head of the department of anthropology and archeology at the university.
He is working with Glenn Stuart, an archeology professor, who is focusing on the archeological impacts in the study.
They are looking at four specific areas of impact: food, employment, cultural or archeological and the agreements entered into by First Nations communities surrounding oilsands.
“Not only the impacts, but also some of the benefits in terms of economic, employment and so forth but targeting more the environmental and cultural aspects,” Westman said. “And pushing for more monitoring of all the things that are being promised, be it environmental protection as well as monitoring the economic and the social outcomes.”
Westman said one major reason for the research is to examine agreements and promises to these communities made by organizations looking to extract oil.
“We’re just trying to find out all these different types of processes that Indigenous people enter into and try to figure out the different range of impacts that affect different aspects of Indigenous peoples’ lives. And, how can we put a little more information together to answer some of the questions that we’ve identified and fill some of those knowledge gaps.”
This could help Indigenous people become more involved in these processes, including the archeological motions, Stuart added.
He said when a company wants to clear land, they hire archeologists to get the okay to do so, and if there is anything in the way of that, they excavate.
“The problem with this is it really is geared towards clearance so that it’s of a benefit to the company that’s paying for it,” Stuart said. “What we want to do is see if we can’t change that model.”
Westman said they hope to report back to the communities once the research is completed.
He added after this, they are looking to connect with Saskatchewan First Nations who have also been impacted by oilsands development.
The study recently received part of a federal grant.
(PHOTOS: University of Saskatchewan researchers Clinton Westman, top, and Glenn Stuart, bottom, are studying the impacts of oilsands development on First Nations communities in northern Alberta.)