Elizabeth Shope, Advocate, Washington, D.C.

Last week, an all-female delegation led by 1997 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Nobel Women’s Initiative Chair Jody Williams set out to Alberta and British Columbia in an effort to learn about the impacts of tar sands oil extraction and pipeline and tanker projects on women and their communities. Williams was joined by a group of women from the United States, Canada and Kenya who are all leaders in their work on environmental, social justice, and tribal issues. The delegation met with over 200 women from 13 communities, including Fort McMurray, Burns Lake Fort McKay, Prince George, Smithers, Terrace and Kitimat. They also met with aboriginal community leaders from the Nadleh Wu’ten and the Saik’uz Nations, and government and oil industry representatives – listening, learning, and bringing attention to how tar sands are affecting the lives of women and their communities in Western Canada. They heard how these communities have faced contaminated water, increased health issues, and communities divided by issues of poverty and the fear of speaking out against the oil industry. Women and communities across the continent stand to be affected by the climate change, air pollution, water pollution, and pipeline ...

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