Canada: "Federal Lab Not Testing for Oilsands Chemicals"

"For years, development of the Alberta oilsands has been plagued by controversy over whether the project is releasing deadly chemicals into the vast Athabasca River system.

Fortunately, the federal Environment Department operates a permanent laboratory on the Athabasca, downstream from the oilsands, and has been testing the water quality of the river for more than two decades.

Unfortunately, the lab has never tested for chemicals from the oilsands.

Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan made the rather stunning revelation Tuesday in a scathing report on the government’s overall water-quality testing programs."

Greg Weston reports for CBC News December 7, 2010.