OTTAWA—Environment Minister Jim Prentice says he’s personally concerned about how well the water downstream of the Alberta oilsands is being tested for harmful chemicals.

On Thursday, he announced the six scientists tasked with looking into the state of environmental research and monitoring in the region.

The panel has 60 days to report back to Prentice on the strengths and weaknesses of water monitoring around the oilsands.

“I have heard the criticism. I have reviewed closely the criticism that I have heard over the course of the last several months,” Prentice said.

“I have had my own concerns about the nature of the testing that’s being done, and have proceeded on this basis to get immediate response from some of Canada’s best scientists.”

The former head of the United Nations environment program, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, chairs the panel. The other members are Dr. Peter Dillon from Trent University, Dr. Subhasis Ghoshal from McGill University, Dr. Andrew Miall from the University of Toronto, Dr. Joseph Rasmussen from the University of Lethbridge and Dr. John Smol from Queen’s University.

The group’s findings will be posted on Environment Canada’s website.

The Tories struck the panel amid concerns that people living downstream of the Alberta oilsands are becoming sick, getting cancer and catching deformed, tumour-riddled fish.

Many of those concerns were highlighted in research by University of Alberta scientist David Schindler, which found oilsands pollutants in the surrounding watershed.

Those concerns brought Hollywood director James Cameron to the oilsands this week to talk to scientists, oil executives and Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach.

The Ontario-born Cameron said he was appalled by stories of people in the northeastern Alberta community of Fort Chipewyan being too afraid to drink the water, or to let their children go swimming or fishing.

“I can’t imagine being told by my mom that I can’t swim in the river,” he said. “The idea of that is appalling to me. And for a community to live in fear like that — we need to look into this.”

Residents in the region have long complained about metals and chemicals from the operations infecting fish and wildlife and making them sick. A 2009 Alberta Cancer Board study found the cancer rate was 30 per cent higher than expected in the tiny community of 1,200, but also noted the small sample size could skew the findings.

An environmental group launched an anti-oilsands campaign this summer to discourage tourists from visiting Alberta. The controversial “Rethink Alberta” video depicted oil-covered ducks, toxic tailings ponds and aboriginals worried about their health.

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The Alberta government fired back with ads of its own in U.S. newspapers.

The oilsands were also a focus of a recent visit to Ottawa by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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