Rational Decision-Making

"There isn't strong evidence for an association between any of these cancers and environmental exposure."
"The perception is that there is more cancer, and to some extent the perception is correct, but it's not unique to this community."
"We know that for tobacco smoking, aboriginal communities are hard hit. They have a significant proportion of smokers."
"It has been my intention to discuss this report with people of Fort Chipewyan first to make them aware of the findings, and engage them in how we can improve prevention."
"We have been attempting to do so since the fall, and unfortunately the most recent meeting scheduled for February was cancelled."
Dr. James Talbot, Alberta Chief Medical Officer of HealthSome of Fort Chipewyan's community centres are sponsored by the major oil companies working in the area. The Athabasca Delta Community School is sponsored by Shell. Photographed Sept. 13, 2013.  Photograph by: Ryan Jackson, Edmonton Journal

"There's nothing [here] in regards to a comprehensive, independent study that we've been requesting, where government and industry have no participation in it."
Chief Allan Adam, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation

The incidence of cancer in the Fort Chipewyan Alberta aboriginal community between 1992 and 2011 was revealed through close scrutiny of the statistics to present with the information that the overall community cancer rate is not significantly higher than elsewhere; 81 cases in comparison with the 79 that would be expected per population size in the rest of Alberta.

Three types of cancer stood out as slightly more prevalent; cervical cancer (four cases), lung cancer (eight cases) and bile duct cancer (three cases). The first two types are preventable through vaccination and smoking cessation. The third has been linked to risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, alcohol, viral hepatitis and family history.

The claims made by opponents of oil sands development cling to their versions of shocking evidence of higher cancer rates among aboriginals living close to the oil sands projects, a direct result of the fall-out from the oil extraction processes. The oil sands cannot possibly be claimed to be a human health hazard, however, if a close inspection of the record reveals that the claims are false.

While U.S. President Barack Obama will arrive at a decision relating to whether to proceed with the pipeline from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf, proposed by TransCanada Corp., Senator Barbara Boxer, chair of the U.S. Senate's environment committee stated on February 26 in Washington: "I have shown you, or at least I have told you, how health miseries follow the tar sands. Health miseries follow tar sands from extraction, to transport, to refining, to waste disposal."

An Alberta doctor, John O'Connor, spoke urgently in 2006 of his concerns relating to elevated cancer rates around the Fort Chipewyan community of 1,200, 220 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. The Alberta Cancer Board in a 20099 study found rates for some cancers present at a higher rate in Fort Chipewyan than in the general population of the province.

In 2010 the Royal Society of Canada found: "There is currently no credible evidence of environmental contaminant exposure from oil sands reaching Fort Chipewyan at levels expected to cause elevated human cancer rates." Does this represent a conspiracy between the Canadian health community and the country's oil infrastructure?

Four complaints were filed by Health Canada against Dr. O'Connor's "undue alarm" infecting the community. Alberta's College of Physicians and Surgeons conducted an investigation concluding that Dr. O'Connor's public statements relating to the health of Fort Chipewyan residents contained "mistruths, inaccuracies and unconfirmed information".

That conclusion didn't stop Dr. O'Connor from making an appearance at the Washington news conference featuring Senator Boxer, to support the anti-Keystone XL message, claiming a public-health crisis exists in the community due to the proximity of the oil sands' extraction. Dr. O'Connor, a Greenpeace activist, was only doing his duty to his environmental passions.

Dr. Talbot's recommendations to the community include increasing the human papiloma virus vaccinations uptake, increasing smoking prevention and cessation efforts, increasing pap smear screening and cervical cancer treatment programs, and finally, conducting a community health assessment that would focus on chronic disease prevention. All of which to be done in a manner acceptable to the community.

While a wide range of health services is available through the Nunee Health Authority, Alberta Health Services and First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, HPV vaccinations and pap smear screenings present as below the provincial average. A situation that should be addressed, and which the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief is not prepared to submit to, since he is convinced that 'government' should have no part in the process.