N.W.T.'s water could be at risk from oilsands

Water in the Northwest Territories is at risk of being contaminated by run-off from Alberta's oilsands, according to a new report.

The report, "Canada's Great Basin: Presumed Abundance and Revealed Neglect in the Mackenzie Watershed," by the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, was released Friday. It says the territory has no control over what's coming downstream and there's not enough information to ensure the oilsands aren't polluting northern waters.

The report recommends that world-class water monitoring be set up in the Mackenzie Basin, and that the federal government help the N.W.T. and aboriginal governments implement the territory's Water Stewardship Strategy.

The Mackenzie Basin is a watershed one-fifth the size of Canada, and its borders extend into three provincesSaskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. and the three territories.

Water is used in the process of extracting bitumen from the oilsands, and the wastewater flushed into tailings ponds contains high levels of toxins, according to the report.

"We're the ultimate downstream jurisdiction," said N.W.T. Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger. "There's no other jurisdiction between us and the Arctic Ocean.

"We have to take the lead. We're going to take water over very soon. We've got to get our thinking clear that the Mackenzie River Basin is of global significance."

In the N.W.T., the territory shares jurisdiction over water management with the federal government.

Negotiations are underway for a transboundary water agreement, but the report says the federal government needs to step up to help protect northerners' interests.

"What we hope is that Alberta and B.C. will work with the N.W.T. to ensure that the basin as a whole is protected, and that northerners will have a strong voice in how that happens, and in the quantity and quality of water that they receive," said Tim Morris, manager of the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation's freshwater program.

"It drains down to us, it all comes to us, so anything that happens affects us," said Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus.

"We support there being agreements in place, but it must also mean that as an aboriginal government, we must represent ourselves and be at those tables."

But Alberta's premier takes issue with the report describing the Northwest Territoriesas the oilsands' toilet.

"In Alberta, we are concerned about water," said Alison Redford.

"We committed to an environmentally sustainable plan. I will tell you, I am skeptical of the comments. If there's work that needs to be done, we're not opposed to having other discussions."

Miltenberger said the toilet comparision is a bit graphic, but admits it's an uphill battle to ensure the protection of the territory's water with growing oilsands developments, as well as new hydroelectric dams being built in B.C.