At our annual general meeting in Saint John this year, Dr. John O’Connor was elected to sit on the Council of Canadians Board of Directors.
The Edmonton Journal reports today that, “An embattled family physician (Dr. O’Connor) who raised concerns about a possible link between Alberta’s oilsands and cancer rates in a remote aboriginal community (Fort Chipewyan) received vindication this week when he was cleared of causing ‘undue alarm’.”
“On Friday, O’Connor was informed he had been cleared of (this) charge.”
“Last February, O’Connor (had also) received some vindication when the Alberta Cancer Board released a study that found higher-than-expected rates of some rare cancers among residents in Fort Chipewyan, about 700 kilometres north of Edmonton. The study said the increases could be due to chance but could also be caused by environmental factors. The study suggested ongoing monitoring for the next five to 10 years.”
BACKGROUND
“In 2007, Health Canada physicians laid four complaints of professional misconduct against O’Connor with the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons, including blocking access to files, billing irregularities, engendering a sense of mistrust in government in Fort Chipewyan, and causing ‘undue alarm’ among residents of the community.”
“Several weeks later, the college cleared O’Connor of three of the charges, except causing undue alarm.”
“The physician left Alberta that year for Nova Scotia, where he set up a clinic. However, he continued to work with Alberta’s northern aboriginal communities via the Internet and periodically flew to Fort McMurray and Fort McKay to see patients.”
NEXT STEPS
George Poitras, former chief of the Mikisew Cree First Nation, says, “This last remaining charge of ‘causing undue alarm’ has never sat right with the residents of Fort Chipewyan. We are completely ecstatic that this news has finally arrived.”
“Now that the doctor has been cleared, it is time for the Alberta government to begin a comprehensive health study on the community, and investigate the reasons for the higher rates of rare cancers among residents, Poitras said.”
In the November issue of the New Internationalist, Poitras also says, “We are seeing a terrifyingly high rate of cancer in Fort Chipewyan. We are convinced that these cancers are linked to the tar sands development on our doorstep. It is shortening our lives. That’s why we no longer call it ‘dirty oil’ but ‘bloody oil’.”
The full Edmonton Journal article is at http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/cityplus/story.html?id=6951e2e4-76fc-4bd1-b32e-8a6e045be0c1.
You can read more about Dr. O’Connor in energy campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue’s October 2008 blog at http://canadians.org/energy/index_blog.html.
