Asbestos Re-visited

Canada's ugly little environmental secret is not a secret anymore. International pressure to stop the exporting of asbestos to Asian countries is growing. All the scientific evidence formalized the need for the stopping of the use of this mineral. In almost every country there is a ban on it's use but in spite of this Canada condones the export of this mineral to Countries in Asia. The untold deaths as a result is a black mark on the industry which produces it and the country which supports this industry.

Canada had the perfect opportunity to close this industry down as the readily available resource had all but disappeared. The two operating mines are near bankruptcy and their only hope of continuing their mining is if they get government aid in the way of loans, grants and loan insurance. Private capitol is not available because of the nature of the product mined. Now the ugly story is coming out.

The province of Quebec and their premier Jean Charest and Prime Minister Stephen Harper are about to rescue this killer industry. At stake are three seats in parliament. Apart from the moral issue of exporting asbestos disease for profit we as taxpayers might ask why two supposedly business minded politicians are risking public funds and Canada's international political capital to breath new life into an industry that has been notorious for its record of economic disaster and public health tragedy.

Premier Charest is about to loan $58,000,000 to develop an underground Jeffrey Mine that will produce and export 200,000 tons of asbestos yearly for the next 25 years to Asia and perhaps Africa. There are no regulations to deal with in this market. The amount of suffering and death will be enormous for decades to come. With Quebec providing the financing Harper will provide the international political protection to stop the industry from being regulated. Harper is the only Western political leader who supports asbestos and the only Canadian leader to do the same.

With the ruthless cutting of budgets supporting scientific research and aboriginal healing programs there was no cutting the grant to the asbestos industry [Chrysotile Institute ] lobby group. There was no hesitation with this grant in spite of the objections of the Cancer Society of Canada and numerous health experts. This grant is for $250,000 and is used to assure developing countries that asbestos can be used safely.

There are several disturbing facts about this whole mess. One is that the Quebec government studies show 100% failure rate to handle asbestos in Quebec itself. Another is that the exported mineral carries the logo of Canada on its products indicating it is endorsed by Canada. The third is the most troubling in as much as our Prime Minister has made a commitment to the industry that as long as he is Prime Minister he will support the export of asbestos and will block the UN environmental agreement, the Rotterdam Convention, so as to prevent chryostile asbestos from being put on the list for hazardous substances. This request has been made by the convention's expert body.

Blocking the Rotterdam Convention is a powerful gift given to the industry and one lobbied hard to our government with funds provided by public taxpayers dollars. If asbestos made the list as a hazardous substance every product would have to be labeled accordingly.

I am not suggesting that the Prime Minister is a genuine enthusiast of asbestos as his home at 24 Sussex drive is presently costing a small fortune to remove asbestos and his workplace the House of Commons also. I suggest his motivation is political and to win a couple of seats in the asbestos-producing region. Both the Prime Minister and the Premier of Quebec will be judged harshly by history because of their reckless behaviour. I would suggest if you are interested to talk to your member, and stand back when you get their take on this: Canada's ugly secret - ASBESTOS.

Some of the information I used comes from printed material I have read and some from public information. This is an issue that will not go away and I am dedicated to help it disappear.

You may be interested in:
Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk, National Cancer Institute (USA)

Basic Facts About Asbestos, Environmental Protection Agency