Syncrude trial to start Monday

Lawyers for oilsands giant Syncrude are scheduled to appear in court in Alberta on Monday to defend the company against charges laid in the deaths of 1,600 ducks in a northern Alberta tailings pond in April 2008.

The company has pleaded not guilty to charges under provincial and federal laws. Two months have been set aside for the trial, being held in St. Albert, Alta.

Syncrude has apologized for the incident and says it has stepped up measures to scare birds away from their operations.

The company doesn't dispute that the ducks perished in their tailings pond, but a lawyer for Syncrude said the charges won't accomplish anything.

Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner said the prosecution will proceed.

"We believe that a law has been contravened and we believe it's our responsibility to enforce our regulations."

Environmentalists like Greenpeace Canada spokesperson Mike Hudema will be watching the trial closely.

Hudema said he is not impressed with Syncrude's attitude, saying the company is acting as if it is above the law.

"Syncrude needs to stop ducking its responsibility," he said.

"It's one thing to take out full-page apology ads in a [public relations] attempt. It's another to actually step up say you're guilty of this crime and start taking responsibility for it," he said.

If found guilty, Syncrude could face fines of up to $1 million.

In late April 2008, migrating ducks landed in a tailings pond on the company's Aurora oilsands site north of Fort McMurray.

The ducks landed on the water and sank to the bottom after being coated in oily toxic sludge.

Air cannons used to scare migratory birds away from the tailings pond were not in place.