The Alberta Energy RegulatorSA国际影视传媒檚 decision to issue a SA国际影视传媒渞idiculously smallSA国际影视传媒� $50,000 fine to Imperial Oil in connection with major tailings leaks in 2023 sends a clear message to fossil fuel companies according to a local First NationSA国际影视传媒檚 chief: SA国际影视传媒渃ome here and dump all of your toxic waste in our drinking water.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭he AER could have given them a stiffer fine, maybe $5 million to $10 million, to send a message to all of industry that they will not tolerate this. But they didnSA国际影视传媒檛 do anything,SA国际影视传媒� Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam told CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 National Observer in a phone interview on Friday.

Imperial Oil made roughly $20 billion in profit over 2022 and 2023 combined, and reported $1.13 billion in profit in the second quarter of 2024.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat $50,000, I think Imperial makes that in probably three seconds,SA国际影视传媒� Adam said. (Adam is not far off in the 2023/24 fiscal year the company made $50,000 in about 40 seconds.)

ACFN is suing the Alberta Energy Regulator for failure to notify the nation about two large leaks of toxic tailings from Imperial OilSA国际影视传媒檚 Kearl site in northern Alberta. Adam has been at the forefront of the issue ever since the tailings leaks made international headlines last year.

SA国际影视传媒淭his ridiculously small fine shows that Alberta, with its weak regulations, is the problem,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

ACFN is not the only community saying the AER didnSA国际影视传媒檛 go far enough.

SA国际影视传媒淲e feel that this penalty falls short of sending a strong and clear message to the oilsands industry regarding the imperative of accountability in environmental stewardship,SA国际影视传媒� said Fort Chipewyan Metis Nation President Kendrick Cardinal in an emailed statement to CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 National Observer.

SA国际影视传媒淭he actions of industry players have far-reaching consequences that extend beyond immediate financial penalties they impact our nation, and our Aboriginal rights,SA国际影视传媒� Cardinal said, adding that the $50,000 fine should be the first step towards more rigorous enforcement by the regulator to ensure all industry participants adhere strictly to their regulatory responsibilities.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is crucial to recognize that the true ramifications of this incident may not become apparent for years to come,SA国际影视传媒� Cardinal wrote.

When it first came to light in February 2023 that toxic tailings had been seeping from Imperial OilSA国际影视传媒檚 Kearl site for nine months, local Indigenous communities were concerned and fearful that members had been harvesting and subsisting off the land without being notified. A lot of people in the community are SA国际影视传媒減issed off about it,SA国际影视传媒� Adam added SA国际影视传媒� himself included.

In the aftermath, Indigenous leaders including Adam criticized AlbertaSA国际影视传媒檚 regulatory regime and lambasted the Alberta Energy Regulator for failing to protect people and the environment, calling it a captured regulator.

SA国际影视传媒淓verybody says that the Alberta government will let industry do whatever they want, because they turned a blind eye and nobody wants to say anything about it, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 happened to our people,SA国际影视传媒� Adam said.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 chemical germ warfare SA国际影视传媒� ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a silent killer thatSA国际影视传媒檚 killing our people,SA国际影视传媒� he said, referring to the imminent threat posed by SA国际影视传媒� and poor management of SA国际影视传媒� more than 1.4 trillion litres of toxic oilsands tailings perched in man-made ponds near the Athabasca River.

(Mikisew Cree First Nation, which has also spoken out about the Kearl tailings leaks, did not respond to a request for comment by deadline. This story will be updated if and when comment becomes available.)

The federal government announced $12.5 million this month for a community-led study into the cumulative health impacts of the oilsands. For many years, ACFN and other groups had been raising the alarm on rare cancers found in the community and called for studies into the causes.

The Athabasca Chipewyan are bringing the tailings fight to the courts and in March served the AER president and CEO Laurie Pushor with a notice of a lawsuit.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檒l take this and we will submit this as evidence that the Alberta government doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 care about our people,SA国际影视传媒� Adam said. SA国际影视传媒淓verything that they do from here on in this just goes to the record to show their negligence towards our community SA国际影视传媒� environmental racism is what it is.SA国际影视传媒�

Adam hinted that the ACFN may continue to escalate the issue.

SA国际影视传媒淲e keep on talking to Alberta and Canada it goes nowhere,SA国际影视传媒� Adam said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檒l take our message to the UN and we will tell the world about how this province of Alberta and Canada continues to treat our First Nations people here, because they tell everybody that the First Nations are doing good and thereSA国际影视传媒檚 nothing wrong. Well, here we are dealing with this kind of crap, and it has to be addressed.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒擝y Natasha Bulowski, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 National Observer