Alberta's three major oil sands deposits are thought to hold 1.7 trillion barrels of bitumen, comparable in magnitude to the world's total proven reserves of conventional petroleum. Ed Cooper, shown left, is a member of the First Nations Community in Fort McKay, about an hour north of Fort McMurray where oil sands are processed. Although the community has suffered a loss of land, it has also gained a large amount of economic support, and many of its members work for the industry.