FORT McMURRAY, Alta. - Canadian-born actress Neve Campbell spent two days this week touring the oilsands in northern Alberta and said she's "horrified" by the scale of development of the industry, according to a news release issued Thursday by the Mikisew Cree First Nation.
Campbell, a native of Guelph, Ont., met with aboriginal groups who say they are concerned about the amount of water the industry consumes, the toxic effluent it creates and the potential harmful health effects of oilsands expansion, such as increased cancer rates.
The actress, star of the "Scream" movies, said the response by federal and provincial governments to the pace of development has been "weak."
When contacted Thursday, Campbell's publicist said the actress was about to board a flight to France and wasn't available for an interview.
In the release, Campbell said she'll be working to raise awareness about the issue in the coming months.
The tour was organized by Forest Ethics, an environmental group that does work in Canada, the U.S. and Chile.
Roxanne Marcel, chief of the First Nation, said she's happy about the possibility of working with Hollywood to heighten awareness of what she calls "human and environmental injustices" inflicted on her community.
