The federal hearings on the impact of oilsands development on fresh water will be heading to the Wood Buffalo area next month, prompted by the urging of Edmonton MP Linda Duncan.

While hearings have been held in Ottawa since they resumed in March, hearing from government witnesses first, it was a bit of a battle to get them to Alberta, a victory that Duncan says was hard-fought.

“They wanted to, of course, have the usual tour of the tarsands, and I said, ‘I don’t agree to that unless you also go to Alberta and hear from Albertans.’ We fought for a long time. They finally agreed to go to Fort Chip … They only wanted to go to Calgary and Fort McMurray,” said Duncan. “They have finally relented, and we’ll have a two-hour informal session in Fort Chip. We will also be coming to Fort McMurray.”

In her “relentless” battle, Duncan advised her colleagues the only way they could really see the impact from the oilsands is to fly over the Athabasca River.

The all-party committee is expected to be in Fort Chip and Fort McMurray on May 11, in Edmonton on May 12 and in Calgary on May 13.

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