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A special thanks to our donors for making this important campaign possible:

  • Saunders-Matthey Cancer
    Prevention Coalition

  • Canadian Association of
    Physicians for the Environment

  • Canadian Auto Workers

Jump to News Section! (updated regularly)

Kathleen Ruff:

Asbestos industry continues to hide risks, put profit ahead of human life  An Ounce e-Newsletter, Winter 2013
The battle to end Canada’s asbestos industry: recent dramatic events  An Ounce e-Newsletter, Fall 2012
Time to end the Corruption of Public Health Policy by asbestos industry  An Ounce e-Newsletter, Summer 2012
It’s time for McGill to stop colluding with the asbestos industry  An Ounce e-Newsletter, Spring 2012
Staggering Duplicity: PCN responds to asbestos exporter  An Ounce e-Newsletter, Winter 2011


BACKGROUND: CBC News Exposé (Feb. 4, 2012)

Write the Federal Health Minister and Prime Minister

Asbestos News and More …

International News

front-300x250Asbestos Update December 16, 2010)

December 16, 2010

  • Asian Solidarity Delegation to Stop Asbestos Mining in Québec visits Canada
  • David Suzuki Foundation Email Campaign
  • Stop the Jeffrey Mine Fax Campaign
  • Who’s keeping the Canadian asbestos industry alive?
  • Two Tory staffers tried to block access to info re; Asbestos
  • Photos from the Asian Solidarity Delegation to Stop Asbestos Mining in Québec
  • Nature Magazine, Editorial
  • Message from Dr. Joshi, a world recognized expert on occupational health in India
  • GBAN “Voices on the Wall” Campaign

READ MORE …

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Update: Canadian Doctors Say Ban Asbestos Now

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News Release: Heed Students and Ban Asbestos

    Version Française
    English Version

    MEDIA RELEASE
    June 1, 2009

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    HEED STUDENTS AND BAN CANADIAN ASBESTOS, SAY HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS

    OTTAWA) Twenty of Canada’s foremost health, environment and labour organizations are urging Canadian Parliamentarians to heed the call to ban Canadian asbestos being brought to Ottawa by three Grade 10 students from northern British Columbia. The students – Hayley McDermid, Claire Hinchliffe and Chloe Staiger, have written a bill to end Canada’s mining and export of asbestos to developing countries. Their Member of Parliament, Nathan Cullen, is presenting their bill in the House of Commons today.

    “We support these students one hundred per cent,” said Diana Daghofer, Co-Chair of Prevent Cancer Now. “We hope that Canada’s political leaders are listening to them and to the massive Canadian and international backing for a ban on the production, use and export of this deadly substance.”

    “Canadians should be very proud of the initiative taken by these students.” states Kathleen Cooper of the Canadian Environmental Law Association. “We must also direct resources and assistance to affected communities in Canada, and stop continuing to support a toxic and dying industry.”

    “It is time to end the double standard whereby we export a product that we refuse to use in Canada because of the threat we know it poses to public health,” said Kathleen Ruff of the Rideau Institute on International Affairs.

    “Asbestos-related disease is the biggest occupational killer in Canada,” said occupational health expert Dr. James Brophy. “We need to stop mining and exporting it; we need a national registry and we need to help those who are living the tragedy of asbestos-related disease.”

    - 30 -

    Download the Student’s Bill

    Supported by: Ban Asbestos Canada, Breast Cancer Action Montreal, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Canadian Association of University Teachers, Canadian Auto Workers, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy, Canadian Teachers’ Federation, Clean Production Action, David Suzuki Foundation, Ecojustice, MiningWatch Canada, Ontario College of Family Physicians, Ontario Teachers’ Federation, Prevent Cancer Now, Rideau Institute on International Affairs, Saunders-Matthey Cancer Prevention Coalition, Sierra Club of Canada, Toxic-Free Canada; and Women’s Healthy Environments Network.

    MEDIA CONTACTS

    Kathleen Ruff, Rideau Institute on International Affairs and Ban Asbestos Canada
    Phone: 250-847-1848, Email: kruff@bulkley.net

    Diana Daghofer, Prevent Cancer Now
    Phone: 250-364-8894, Email: diana@wspring.ca

    BACKGROUND NOTES

    – The three Grade 10 students from Smithers, B.C. won a Create Your Canada contest, organized by MP Nathan Cullen and aimed at involving young people in Canada’s parliamentary process. Out of the 80 submissions, a panel of community leaders selected a winning entry from one junior and one senior school.
    – The government continues to support Canada’s asbestos trade, claiming that, although our asbestos is known to cause cancer, rigorous safety standards exist in developing countries to which Canada exports over 95% of its asbestos, and therefore it poses no risk.
    – A two-year study published by the Quebec government shows that in the tiny number of industrial plants in Quebec still using asbestos, there was a 100% failure rate to follow safety standards. “If in an advanced, regulated, industrialized society, like Quebec, we find a 100% failure to implement safety controls, it lacks credibility to say such controls are implemented in developing countries,” says Ramsey Hart of MiningWatch.
    – In Canada, asbestos-related disease is the most significant contributor to occupational mortality. A 2004 report found rates of mesothelioma among men in Quebec to be 9.5 times greater than for the rest of Canada and the rate for women to be amongst the highest in the world.1) It is estimated that 1,500 workers in BC alone will die from asbestos-caused disease over the next five years. Asbestos continues to pose a health hazard, particularly in schools, as well as in many deteriorating homes on First Nations reserves.
    – The World Bank has just issued guidelines calling for no use of asbestos in any of the projects it funds around the world. The Canada Green Buildings Council, in its LEED Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) standards, forbids use of asbestos in all new construction. The Canadian government has committed itself to following these standards and is also spending millions of dollars to remove asbestos from the House of Commons.
    – The last functioning asbestos mine, LAB Chrysotile Inc. recently filed for bankruptcy protection. A just released study, carried out by Laval University students, shows impressive success by this asbestos-mining region of Quebec in diversifying its economy away from asbestos. The newly-named region – Appalaches – now employs about 400 workers, or 7 per cent of its workers in asbestos mining, rather than the one-third employed in the industry in 1970.

    1) INSPQ, The Epidemiology of Asbestos-Related Diseases in Quebec, 2004;

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Get the Facts

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Canadian Organizations Call for Asbestos Ban


         

   

      

           


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Read the party positions

    – NDP: The New Democratic Party supports the banning of asbestos see their position here).

    – Green Party: The Green Party of Canada was the first federal party to support a ban see their position here).

    – Conservatives: The Conservative Party and the Bloc Québecois agree that the asbestos Canada exports causes cancer. They claim, however, that such strict controls exist in the developing world that no-one is exposed to harmful asbestos fibres. This justification has been repeatedly exposed as totally lacking credibility.

    – Liberals: The Liberal Party has not, as yet, adopted a policy to ban asbestos. However, on August 31, 2009, Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff emphasized the need for regional economic development to replace “dangerous” asbestos. Liberal MPs, including Health Critic Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Quebec MP Raymonde Folco, Joyce Murray, Dr. Hedy Fry, Bob Rae, Navdeep Singh Bains, Sukh Dhaliwal, Ujjal Dosanjh and Dr. Keith Martin have also spoken out in support of a ban.

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YOU CAN PREVENT CANCER NOW

To protect yourself from getting cancer, or a recurrence, choose foods, house and garden products, play spaces, toys, medicines and medical tests that will minimize your exposure to toxins. Here are some tips!


— Eat a plant-based, organic diet
— Be physically active
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— Avoid Radiation
— Make a Difference


UPCOMING EVENTS


     

IN THE NEWS | SEE ALL NEWS Orange Flag

The Telegraph (May 30)
Are we ignoring mobile phone dangers?

New Scientist (May 15)
Move to restrict asbestos trade blocked

Media Release (May 11)
Asbestos ‘Rotterdam Convention’ in crisis, say civil society groups

New York Times (April 25)
Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer

Media Release (April 25)
Asbestos lobbyists determined to sabotage UN Rotterdam Convention

Yahoo News (April 4)
Consumer group finds alarming levels of chemicals in popular cosmetics

Surrey North Delta Leader (April 2)
New study says Vancouver should end garbage incineration

Waste & Recycling News (March 29)
Incineration fears fuel zero waste effort

CBC News (March 26)
Asbestos in at least 180 Québec healthcare facilities

National Post (March 17)
Is the war on cancer an ‘utter failure’?

Winnipeg Free Press (February 26)
Most Manitobans support banning garden, lawn pesticides: new poll

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note: INCINERATION CAMPAIGN news and updates can be found here

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