Most Canadians understand that the site is a gimmick to show the USA [and give cover to the big oil lobby] that the Congressional testimony of independent scientists like SFU Professor Mark Jaccard and many others including Bill McKibbon and Bold Nebraska is false. Canadians know that the Alberta and Canadian governments have no credibility, that they continue to silence their own scientists at every turn to support their ideology and they long ago proved their disregard for environmental concerns.
Canadian government scientists, paid by with taxpayer dollars, are muzzled, so the only two sources of reliable information about the Tar Sands must come from independent scientists and those, like the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation community, who've lived on the ground for thousands of years and who's health and economy depend on an intact ecology [watch the video of their elder's statement about the pollution]. The new govt. website says that, "at of the time of this data release, the time series of data is too limited to draw any conclusions[about the Athabasca FN's claims]" But the two governments were ordered years ago to begin gathering stats and doing base line studies of the Athabaska River's contamination. They stalled, then basically refused knowing full well that without those early numbers it would be impossible to generate accurate data on the changes later.
The broader science community is also condemning the lack of independent review at the govt portal and, while waiting to see if that changes, are usually referring inquiries to other long accepted independent studies. Environmental organizations say that the monitoring program is still far from completed, and have concerns about the independence of the research as well. "The tar sands monitoring system is still not independent. There is no indication of when, or even if, this will become a truly independent monitoring regime as recommended by the federal government’s scientific panel," said Edmonton-based Greenpeace climate campaigner Mike Hudema.
This purposeful avoidance of real scientific information isn't an accident, it's a matter of ideology. Stephen Harper, and many of his underlings, belong to the Christian and Missionary Alliance, an evangelical Protestant church. The Alliance Church teaches that environmental groups are "one of the greatest threats to society and the church today." His environmental worldview is informed by The Cornwall Declaration on Environmental Stewardship, one passage of which reads, "The Green Dragon must die... [There] is no excuse to become befuddled by the noxious Green odors and doctrines emanating from the foul beast...God is sovereign over creation and therefore humans can do no permanent damage..."
Knowing all this, it's no wonder most Canadians don't believe a word they say.
