Truly Shameful
Well, here's one decision by the Conservative-led Government of Canada that represents an issue we should all be ashamed of.
Who ever might have thought that Canada would have so much in common with Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine, taking issue with the informed decisions of the socially and politically and scientifically advanced nations of the world. The latter insisting on the evidence available that chrysotile asbestos is a carcinogenic substance, the former that it represents a fine building material.
It did, at one time, represent just that. And asbestos fibre was used extensively in the production of all manner of household and industrial implements, car parts, building insulation, roof shingles, asbestos cement, fire-retardant products and countless other useful products. Until it became obvious that exposure to asbestos fibres while mining the product was extremely hazardous to workers' health.
Moreover, environmental exposure to asbestos products, and working with asbestos products for installation purposes exposes vulnerable workers to dire health risks. An agonizingly slow death due to asbestosis. Use of asbestos is already banned in many countries of the world, including Canada. A UN Environment Program's expert scientific committee recommended it be placed on a hazardous product listing.
Two Canadian Members of Parliament, Chuck Strahl, now retired, and Pat Martin were exposed to asbestos during their working lives outside Parliament. Mr. Strahl, as a result of his exposure, suffers from lung cancer, a byproduct of the use of the material. And both have pleaded with the government to ban the mining and exportation of chrysotile asbestos. The Canadian Medical Association along with many other health groups acknowledge the dangers inherent in the use of asbestos.
And so does the federal government, since it is illegal now in Canada to use asbestos, and the government goes to great cost to remove it from public buildings as a health-and-safety measure. But it remains legal to continue mining it in the Province of Quebec, for export. And now a United Nations summit in Geneva that was considering the labelling of chrysotile asbestos as a substance requiring notice to importing countries of its carcinogenic effect has been halted in its tracks.
Because consensus among countries is required before asbestos could be placed on Annex III, it is likely now that the conference will conclude without that stated purpose being achieved. Canada was silent on the issue, while Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine lobbied against listing asbestos. But when India, which is a major importer of Quebec asbestos decided to support the listing, and so did Ukraine, Canada broke its silence and spoke against the listing.
Who ever might have thought that Canada would have so much in common with Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine, taking issue with the informed decisions of the socially and politically and scientifically advanced nations of the world. The latter insisting on the evidence available that chrysotile asbestos is a carcinogenic substance, the former that it represents a fine building material.
It did, at one time, represent just that. And asbestos fibre was used extensively in the production of all manner of household and industrial implements, car parts, building insulation, roof shingles, asbestos cement, fire-retardant products and countless other useful products. Until it became obvious that exposure to asbestos fibres while mining the product was extremely hazardous to workers' health.
Moreover, environmental exposure to asbestos products, and working with asbestos products for installation purposes exposes vulnerable workers to dire health risks. An agonizingly slow death due to asbestosis. Use of asbestos is already banned in many countries of the world, including Canada. A UN Environment Program's expert scientific committee recommended it be placed on a hazardous product listing.
Two Canadian Members of Parliament, Chuck Strahl, now retired, and Pat Martin were exposed to asbestos during their working lives outside Parliament. Mr. Strahl, as a result of his exposure, suffers from lung cancer, a byproduct of the use of the material. And both have pleaded with the government to ban the mining and exportation of chrysotile asbestos. The Canadian Medical Association along with many other health groups acknowledge the dangers inherent in the use of asbestos.
And so does the federal government, since it is illegal now in Canada to use asbestos, and the government goes to great cost to remove it from public buildings as a health-and-safety measure. But it remains legal to continue mining it in the Province of Quebec, for export. And now a United Nations summit in Geneva that was considering the labelling of chrysotile asbestos as a substance requiring notice to importing countries of its carcinogenic effect has been halted in its tracks.
Because consensus among countries is required before asbestos could be placed on Annex III, it is likely now that the conference will conclude without that stated purpose being achieved. Canada was silent on the issue, while Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine lobbied against listing asbestos. But when India, which is a major importer of Quebec asbestos decided to support the listing, and so did Ukraine, Canada broke its silence and spoke against the listing.
"Canada was hiding behind the smokescreen of dissenting voices of smaller exporting countries and a 'non-consensus' excuse, but when it sensed that there might be a consensus and chrysotile will be listed, it broke its sinister silence and said no." Madhu Dutta, Anti-asbestos campaigner from India.Truly shameful.
Labels: Government of Canada, Health, Science
posted by Pieface | 7:36 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home