Dan, I'll take this one.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you regarding this today.
Imperial did notify the Fort McKay Métis Nation via an informal email initially when they first sighted some rust-coloured water on site. In communications with Imperial—which we have an impact benefit agreement with and an excellent working relationship with—we received more of a formal notification when everybody else did, around the same time as the environmental protection order was issued.
What I would like to convey about Imperial, because this tends to get a lot of focus, is that this isn't an Imperial issue...with respect to the two incidents we're here for today. The tailings issue is a much broader water.... Oil sands process-affected water is a much bigger issue.
I would like to acknowledge that for us—and I know our sister communities have not had the same experience—Imperial has been very transparent with data sharing, and we have the ability to go on site and do our own monitoring. Mr. Stuckless and I have been onsite to actually see the work that was in progress to clear up the overland spill—which was the whole reason the EPO was issued—when we all found out about the seep. It's the same with the AER. Basically, the EPO was issued before formal notification happened, but informally there was immediate notification that there was rust-coloured water on site. The intent, based on our discussions with Imperial, was always to follow up with that.
I also want to acknowledge—best barrel—that my fear is folks will look to Imperial as the cross to burn among the oil sands companies on oil sands issues. The truth of the matter, as my other colleagues have noted, is that this is a 45-year-old legacy issue and not solely an Imperial issue.