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Athabasca Roll

from Eastward + Onward by audio/rocketry

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about

Athabasca Roll

The Athabasca River is known for its historic and contemporary significance in Alberta. Centuries ago, the northern Aboriginal communities relied on the Athabasca for fishing, trading, and transportation purposes (and a few continue this tradition today as well). During western exploration, the early voyagers utilized the course of the Athabasca River as a means to venture further west into the Canadian plains. Currently though, the Athabasca River plays a major role in extracting crude oil at the Tar Sand sites outside of Fort McMurray. The river contributes immensely to the production process of the oil industry; however, there are major environmental and humanitarian costs associated with this operation. Many communities downstream of the oil sand deposits depend on the Athabasca River for traditional diet and potable water systems. Because of the industrial pollution, contamination, and waste, these communities have been adversely affected with consequential health hazards. After observing a series of very rare forms of cancer within the community of Fort Chipewyan, rural physician, John O’Connor, investigated the causes of such health risks and concluded that all traces led back to the contaminated conditions of the Athabasca River. After publicly demanding a provincial health study into the Fort Chip issue, O’Connor was immediately condemned and ostracized by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta and was obliged to leave Alberta for professional reasons. The Fort Chipewyan First Nation have been lobbying their case for years now and the fight for truth and accountability continues to this day.

For more information check out:

Leslie Iwerks’ documentary, "Downstream," at www.downstreamdoc.com
Shannon Walsh’s, “H2Oil,” at h2oildoc.com/home/

lyrics

At the feet of the
Columbia Glacier, the rapids form
As of the Rockies, they sweep hard across the Alberta plains
This course has been the source of pain for over centuries

It opened up the west and ever since
Them early days the waterways have been rollin’ with distress
Despite the river’s ancient utility of life
It’s harming many now within its currents of strive

Athabasca Roll

Well, it’s cutting through the heart of the Tar Sand mines
Picking up contaminants and depositing them down the line
If you don’t believe it, confront the health risks
Subjected to the folks who are living in Fort Chip

The dikes ain’t holding back all of the toxic brew
Even though we live upstream, it should be a concern to me and you
Cancer rates are rising while the industry grows
Accountability is lost in the undertow

Athabasca Roll

Roll on Athabasca, you use to roll just like a dream
Now you rage like a nightmare shipping poison downstream
Albeit, I’m not ready to give up on you yet
I just think I might reevaluate who really runs this province

Knowledge is the effort to keep a breath above the water
If we take a plunge of ignorance we may drown out altogether

credits

from Eastward + Onward, released March 5, 2010

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audio/rocketry Edmonton, Alberta

Friendship has been a pillar of audio/rocketry’s blistering rally cry from the start, with the core duo of Joe Vickers and Matthew Murphy expanding to accommodate a rotating crew of some of Edmonton’s hardest working musicians. After a decade of touring the continent, the band finds itself distilled to its strongest bonds and purest sound with the addition of Blair Drover and Jerome Tovillo. ... more

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