Indigenous Portal – With northern Alberta water quality concerns spilling into the Northwest Territories, its communities’ association is calling for a moratorium on oilsands development until an enforceable transboundary water agreement is negotiated. The Northwest Territories Association of Communities, which represents all 33 communities across the Northwest Territories, passed the moratorium resolution on new development over the weekend at its meeting in Inuvik. The resolution outlined the widespread concern in the Northwest Territories that the federal and Alberta governments have not managed the oilsands in a responsible way that protects the environment and downstream communities, and therefore the oilsands development issue now poses a risk to all downstream communities in the Mackenzie Basin Watershed.

Link to source

Other news:

• The Globe and Mail: “Fearing water pollution, NWT towns call for oil sands slowdown” (May 26, 2009).