Desmond Tutu urges Canada to address climate change 'powderkeg'

Canada must consider how Albertasoilsandscontribute to global climate change and make moves to cut its carbon emissions before it's too late, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu told reporters in FortMcMurray.

Only those who dont want to listen, only those who want to be blind cant see that we are sitting on apowderkeg, he said Friday.

If we dont do something urgently, quickly, we wont have a world.

Tutu is in the northern Alberta city for a two-day conference onoilsandsdevelopment and aboriginal treaties, was hosted by the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.

He was scheduled to take an aerial tour of theoilsands today, but it was cancelled at the last minute due to weather. He will give the keynote address at the conference Saturday.

• Desmond Tutu arrives in Fort McMurray
• Desmond Tutu to speak at Fort McMurray oilsands conference

The archbishop said he did not come to the conference intending to tell Canadians what you must do. He said he hoped that his presence at the event would be a catalyst and that he could use his experience to help local First Nations, industry leaders and others find common ground to come to an agreement.

Ultimately, it is far better, it is cheaper, for people to be friends than for people to be enemies.

Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the fight against apartheid, said that he has talked to people in Africa, northern Europe and other parts of the globe who have suffered from the effects of climate change. He added that Canada might not feel the same effects, but that the countrys leaders cannot ignore the problem.

The time spent is growing shorter by the day. We can still perhaps do something about reversing what we have done so recklessly.

Athabasca Chipewyan chief Allan Adam, who joined Tutu at the press conference, called for a halt to furtheroilsandsdevelopment and stronger regulations until concerns over current environmental damage have been addressed.

We are contributing to what is happening worldwide, regardless if it is a small footprint or not. We are feeling it at home, Adam said.

Listen as CBC's Briar Stewart describes the impact of Tutu's visit on Fort McMurray

Long-time environmental proponent

Tutu has taken strong stands on climate change andagainst projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline.

In an opinion column earlier this month in the British newspaperthe Guardian, the 82-year-old called the Keystone pipeline proposalto moveoilsandsbitumen from Alberta to the U.S. appalling.

Tutu has signed a petition against the pipeline. He has calledfor boycotts of events sponsored by the fossil fuel industry, forhealth warnings on oil company ads and for divestment of oilindustry investments held by universities and municipalities.

When asked Fridaywhy he had focused his efforts on the boycotts, he told reporters "because it is effective."

• Nobel laureates ask Harper to stop oilsands
• Nobel winners urge Keystone rejection

Tutu has suggested the Keystone XL pipeline could increase Canada'scarbon emissions by 30 per cent.

Changing treaty relationships

The title of the conference is As Long As the Rivers Flow: ComingBack to the Treaty Relationship In Our Time. It's intended todiscuss the need for renewal of treaty relationships in light ofextensive resource development such as the oilsands.

It's co-sponsored by the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and theToronto law firm Olthuis Kleer Townsend, in which former Ontariopremier and one-time federal Liberal leader Bob Rae is a partner.Rae is scheduled to be one of the speakers at the conference. So areformer Northwest Territories premier Stephen Kakfwi and formerSyncrude Canada president James Carter.

Representatives from the Alberta and federal government are notexpected to attend although they were invited, said conferencespokeswoman Eriel Deranger.

Tutu is the latest high-profile critic to visit the oilsandscity.

Earlier this year, musician Neil Young played concerts in severalcities to support the Athabasca Chipewyan after he visited theregion. In 2010, Hollywood director James Cameron toured theoilsands and the community of Fort Chipewyan.