Studying the social impacts of having a nearby mine is part of the assessment process along with the environmental and economic impact assessments, and even after decades of research into Canada’s oilsands, there is still no clear picture on how industrial development has affected Indigenous Peoples in the area. That’s according to a study by University of Saskatchewan researchers looking into the social science aspect of Canada’s oilsands.
Environmental anthropologist Clinton Westman says part of the problem is that the consultations are being done by engineers and biologists on staff with the big mining companies, but that’s like sending an anthropologist in to go through a geo-technical study or a wildlife study. The result is what Westman calls a ‘crisis of confidence’ in the industry, leaving the people most impacted by oilsands development feeling ill-informed and powerless.
He believes there needs to be a more rigorous impact assessment process that ensures the people doing the consultation have the expertise and that there needs to be more opportunity for the public to express opinions and for those impacted to be heard.