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Asbestos shame

MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 9:07 AM EST 31/10/07

Canadians run from the cancer-causing agent, yet the federal and Quebec governments still promote it aggressively to the developing world ...Read the full article

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  1. Upper Canadian born and raised in Western Canada from Canada writes: It's absolutely shameful that we would sell something at the expense of profit after knowing the effects to someone else.

    That being said, how many buildings are left in Canada (think a bit bigger than just goverment buildings) that are renovated on a daily basis which contain Asbestos?

    Hey, let's go after the smokers instead..... while we export death elsewhere...

    a nation of friggin' sheep we are.
  2. dallas mcquarrie from Regina, Canada writes: Canadians run from the cancer-causing agent, yet the federal and Quebec governments still promote it aggressively to the developing world

    Yah, that's what happens when you have unprincipled politicians who put profit before life. When you sell something that you know is dangerous and can kill, you are no better than a common thief or cocaine dealer - and that about sums up the moral code of politicians and business people who sell asbestos to the third world.
  3. Warren Russell from Toronto, Canada writes: In one word - DISGUSTING!!!!
    How hypocritical can you get?
  4. J.C. Davies from Canada writes:
    "While the federal government projects an image of being a helpful, international Boy Scout on issues ranging from peacekeeping to nuclear proliferation, Canada has a peculiar relationship to asbestos."

    Canadians like to see themselves as being good UN supporting multi-lateralists citizens of the world but let's face the facts:

    Much of world condemns seal "harvest", Canadian response: give 'em the finger and carry on with business as usual.

    WTO rules against agricultural tarifffs and supply controls, Canadian response: give 'em the finger and carry on with business as usual.

    Much of world condemns export of asbestos, Canadian response: give 'em the finger and carry on with the business as usual.

    The truth is Canadians only embraces multilateralism when on issues that are helpful are irrelevant to Canada.
  5. M D from Canada writes: ..and we subsidize the industry in Quebec...shame.
  6. Margaret Dalziel from Ottawa, Canada writes: As a leading asbestos producing nation Canada should take the lead on making sure it is used safely or not at all. Manouverings to promote the unsafe use of asbestos are morally criminal. They are an embarassment to all Canadians.
  7. Shelley Brown from Toronto, Canada writes: I have sat and watched a dear friend die in the prime of life from mesothelioma. I challenge any of our federal policy makers to do the same and then return to Ottawa and continue to turn a blind eye to the effects of Canada's asbestos industry on the world. This action is shameful.
  8. Jasper the Black Lab from Vancouver, Canada writes: Politics in Quebec has never been a clean game.
  9. Beaverton Bob from Beaverton, Canada writes: Stuff that pollutes our environment and is dangerous to our health is worthy of public attention. Responsibility for half of deaths for occupation hazard is a big number and this hazard is being dealt with. It passed my attention recently that one needs a skilled contractor to remove asbestos but also to remove lead paint. Lead doesn't kill but as tragically as mesothelioma, disables the learning ability of children.The act of breathing does not increase this lead hazard. The health hazards of exploiting the value of asbestos is miniscule compared to the dangers of exploiting the tar sands and the consequent environmental hazards. I think that asbestos and tar sands should always be mentioned together. Say tar sands, think asbestos. Gord Poole, Beaverton
  10. richard morgan from derby, United Kingdom writes: I come from the industrial city of Derby in the centre of England. Main industries were and still are rail engineering, aero space, (Rolls Royce) chemicals, foundries and an industrial heritage that goes back to the 16th Century. Part or our more recent heritage is the asbestosis and mesothelioma that came with the industry. It has for many years puzzled me that a proud nation such as Canada can hold its International reputation so cheap that for a few million dollars it is prepared to ignore all the major institutions advice and continues to export asbestos to the third world. The WHO ILO, UN and all except a few despicable charlatans report that asbestos causes half of the industrial cancers reported in the UK. Many more have gone misdianosed or unreported partly due to misinformation campaigns which come from a body (the chrysotile institute) partly funded by your own government. I'm confident that this article will help to open the eyes of people in Canada. I wish the author well in his efforts to expose the greed and hypocracy that sullies the name of Canada in the world's mind. Thank you for this opportunity to read such a splendid article.
  11. Leaps Frogg from Montreal, Canada writes: "Jasper the Black Lab from Vancouver, Canada writes: Politics in Quebec has never been a clean game. "

    I barely know anything about BC politics. What do you know Quebec politics? I doubt BC politics are cleaner than Quebec politics.
  12. Paul Malouf from montreal, Canada writes: The EU and most developed countries have banned asbestos, the leading cause of occupational deaths. Yet the CDN government is using government funds and CDN embassies to actively promote the export of asbestos globally and does not bother to even keep track of the increasing numbers of CDN workers who are falling sick and dying from asbestos-caused cancer.

    It is time for Canada to join the civilized countries of the world who have banned asbestos.

    Canada must immediately:
    1) introduce legislation to ban the use and export of asbestos
    2) support the listing of chrysotile asbestos under the Rotterdam Convention
    3) stop funding the Asbestos Institute (renamed the Chrysotile Institute)
    4) provide just and adequate transition assistance to workers and communities involved in the asbestos industry
    5) establish a national registry for asbestos disease
    6) take a leadership role to ensure that fair compensation is provided to people suffering from asbestos-related disease

    Canada must put the lives of people ahead of the profits of the asbestos industry.
  13. Canada First and Always from Canada writes: Jasper the Black Lab from Vancouver, Canada writes: Politics in Quebec has never been a clean game.

    Politics has never been a clean game anywhere in this world. We just seem to have an unusually corrupt and disgusting bunch in power right now, starting with most of our provinces (BC the worst), certainly our federal govt, our southern neighbour's despotic government, just to begin the list. Until we hold these jerks accountable and demand open government, we will continue to be shamed and embarassed by their words and inactions.
  14. B to the A to the R to the T from Canada writes: When I working in a plant in Alberta I would get the Workers Compensation Board magazine. In the back there would be a list of people who, since the last publication, died of work related injury or illness. The VAST majority of deaths were related to asbestos. Car mechanics that fixed brakes, insulation specialists, plumbers, most men were in their 50's and 60's but still below the national life expectancy. I do not have access to these same periodicals now, but I imagine the lists look the same.
  15. Tyler Williams from seattle, United States writes: interesting

    very interesting, the following asbestos observation:

    the unrelated news report about an American event has only been up for an hour or two (the FEMA story about the staged US press conference)

    and yet, think about it:

    already there are more posts over there expressing outrage and criticism about that US news report than there are expressing outrage and criticism here about this Canadian news report describing how Canada is literally killing people worldwide through its money-making exports of deadly asbestos.

    and this asbestos story has been up for ten times as long as that US story, about 17 hours for this asbestos story.

    that probably says a lot about how many readers want to bash and dump on america compared to how many readers want to criticize canada.

    frankly, if i had a magic wish, i would wish away all of canada's huge and deadly asbestos exports before i would wish away one outrageous US news conference by a handful of misguided FEMA folks.

    but perhaps some peoples' priorities are different - perhaps to some folks the chance to bash america is very very high on their list of preferences, and so, to some, so what if canada is making money by killing foreigners with asbestos.

    more people want to bash america over one news conference event than want to critize canada for its years and years of exporting death by the ton.
  16. Earth is the insane asylum for the universe from Canada writes: Asbestos (2006 Population 6,819; UA population 7,017) is a town in southeastern Quebec, Canada on the Nicolet River and is the seat of the Les Sources Regional County Municipality or MRC des Sources, formerly the Asbestos Regional County Municipality or MRC d'Asbestos. The town covers an area of 29.67 sq. km. It is located in the centre of a square formed by the cities of Drummondville, Sherbrooke and Victoriaville, and the Nicolet River to the North. It is the site of the Jeffrey Mine, the world's largest asbestos mine, and the mine has long been the town's largest employer, and of the now-closed Magnola magnesium refinery. It was the site of the famous 1949 Asbestos Strike. Despite this some townspeople support changing the town's name http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos,_Quebecdue to the negative connotations asbestos has.
  17. larry stoffman from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada writes: Everyone should read Paul Malouf's comment above, for it basically says it all. Thanks for the work on this story. The Globe's coverage is much appreciated throughlout Canada and in the international ban asbestos network. There is a growing movement in Canada to support the international efforts to ban this deadly carcinogen. Action in Canada has lagged behind due to the byzantine politics surrounding this issue....politics that have so far trumped ethics and which have polluted government health policy ...sacrificing the health of Canadians and 100,000's people worldwide. Asbestos caused cancer kills more workers annually in this country than any other casue of workplace fatalities. The vast majority of these families receive no compensation at all. In Quebec asbestos disease rates are higher than anywhere else in Canada, yet apologists for this dying industry continue to manipulate government and public opinion in that province. Thanks again for publishing this photographic record of the impact Canada's exports have on worker and community health. It is an important counter to the propaganda one hears about "safe use", which in reality is a cover for continued support for the spread of this carcinogen amongst the most vulnerable populations in the world. Please go thy the attaxched website to view an open letter to prime Minister harper calling our government to act now: http://www.rightoncanada.ca/site/c.juIZLdMOJrE/b.2500197/k.BF03/Home.htm
  18. Big Nickel from Canada writes: Absolutely Disgusting. As Canadians we should all be ashamed. This should stop immendiately.
  19. Let me tell You How It Is from United States writes: Tyler from across Lake Washington and I just have to point out this Canadian characteristic and psychiatric disorder of being so freakin hypocritical and delusional that it defines belief. I've characterized Canadians as being paranoid anti-Americans who are so blinded, fixated and envious of the US that they are totally ignorant of their own country exploiting and tormenting the world. They live in a delusional dreamland.
  20. Anthony B from Sydney, NS, Canada writes: Not a lot of difference between Canada and China, really, is there? We berate the Chinese for sending us tainted food and other harmful merchandise, while our government promotes the export of a lethal product to the third world.
  21. Liam . from Canada writes: Shame on Canada for continuing this horrible business. And shame on those nations that continue to import it irrespective of a ban or not. If my product is harmful, you shouldn't need a ban to tell you not to buy it.

    The US Senate , after years of trying, has recently passed a bill banning "new uses" for asbestos as well as a number of other initiatives. It remains to be seen whther or not it passes the Presidents desk but it is a start.

    P.S. Let me tell you how it is - in your zeal to paint everyone with the same brush and throw stones from across the border, I am pretty sure you meant to type "defies reality" rather than "defines". Hope it didn't detract from your rant.

    I have noticed that you, more than regularly post and generally rag on Canadians. One might argue that perhaps it's you who is fixated. What exactly is it that we have to be envious about with respect to the US? Your great, global financial position? Your degree of international respect? Your low crime rates?

    At any rate, enjoy your time here in dreamland. I have a feeling you won't be leaving us anytime soon.
  22. Mitsu of Kingston from Kingston, Canada writes: This is unacceptable. But will Mr. Harper close the asbestos mines in Quebec and ban further export of asbestos. Of course not, as Mr. Harper needs the Quebec vote. And in his ever so, hypocritical manner, Mr. Harper will pontificate about the environment. The fact that winds blow, is a foreign concept to Mr. Harper. What goes around comes around and the very air we breathe might have particles coming from India. And no political party is off the hook. They all ought to be ashamed of themselves, but they are so blinded by greed and power, that they care not whom, they may harm maim or kill, as long as, there is a photo op.
  23. linda sepp from toronto, Canada writes: I have written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper urging him to ban asbestos exports through RightOnCanada.ca.
    To join me, go to http://www.rightoncanada.ca
  24. Thomas Price from Whitefish, Canada writes: On a world wide basis:
    Cars kill more people annually.
    Wars kill more people annually.
    Coal mines kill more people annually.
    Reportedly coal generation kills more people annually.
    Alcohol kills more people annually.
    However:
    International trading of cars is practiced without care or shame.
    Wars are accepted as the board games of the powerful.
    Coal mining might be considered essential if practiced more safely.
    Coal genereation could be less hazardous if practiced more safely.
    Death by alcohol is acceptable due to the highs many value.
    So, what about asbestos?
    If used properly it presents less hazard than any of the above activities. How many deaths have occur where the material is mined and processed?
    Who should have accountability for how materials are used?
    There is no clear solution to any of the above problems and all that happens by the press exposure and over reaction is fear instillation over some issues to distract attention from other issues.

    Let's start by stopping war.
  25. Farenheit 451 from Vancouver, Canada writes: I understand that Canada is now sixth largest on the list of countries that export weapons. I think we naively believe that our foreign and economic policy is some extent driven by moral principals rather than profit.......

    A country as disproportionately rich as Canada should be doing its utmost to help those in need. At the least we make sure we do no further harm.

    This really is disgusting.
  26. varun xm from toronto, Canada writes: This IS a shame - but I would be curious on the Indian government's take on this. The trade is happening in full view of the governing bodies and the dangers of asbestos have been well documented. I am gauging that asbestos fulfills a unique purpose in the Indian manufacturing sector but India does not have the workplace safety laws to manage its safe usage.

    So I feel one has to ask why the Indian government/manufacturing continues with asbestos. Despite the general maligning of Indian bureaucracy as a bunch of kleptocrats, things do work there even if it's at snail's pace. My mind is going back to the DDT ban which has arguably been more damaging to the developing world than would be offset by its discontinuation - a situation in which the mores of the developed world were seriously out of step with the rest of the world.
  27. varun xm from toronto, Canada writes: Dear 'let me tell you how it is' - I acknowledge that we are not perfect. We will work on ourselves. Thanks for commenting. Do visit often.
  28. j.r ewing from vancouver, Canada writes: J.C Davies, If you think seal hunting is at the top of the list of bad things Canada does then you must educate yourself. Seal's have been a managed resource for hundreds of years and are a staple to the economy on the East coast. A few celebrities does not represent "much of the world". I'm sure if you could provide replacement capital for the economy, many people would be willing to stop the "harvest". There are many animals in Canada that are given a far more cruel fate and not managed nearly as well, but ill informed individuals who listen to celebrities come to the aid of the seal because it is cute.
  29. siren call from Canada writes: There is an overarching issue to this that is going to get worse.

    For the sake of a few dollars in trade we are exchange our name and our credibility on the world stage.

    The EU is compiling lists of chemicals it is targeting as unsafe, everything from asbestos to fire retardants sprayed on children's clothing. The onus is on the companies producing the products to prove that they are safe.

    The response of US and Canada has been to fight the legislation through lobbying and obstruction.

    There will come a time when our products are simply shut out of the gigantic European Union market because, they are simply not up to standards.

    Deep integration with the US and Mexico may come as much through neglect of our international standards as through direct politicking.
  30. Liam . from Canada writes: Christ, enough of the mea culpas already. None of us are perfect. We are still selling asbestos, India is running child slave labor, China is selling poisonous products, and the US is exporting its own form of "democracy". We all got work to do. Somehow I dont think one letter will be written to an MP about this but I hope the venting has been cathartic for most of you.
  31. ian mcguchan from london, Canada writes: There are very few things that make me ashamed to be Canadian. This is one. Watching your father die of mesothelioma and knowing we export slow, painful death to unsuspecting workers in the the third world will have that effect on you.
  32. Tony M from All Over, Canada writes: This is Harper at his best. Canada will continue with this practice since he want votes in Quebec.

    This is another Harper boondoggle. Time to bring back the responsible Liberal government.
  33. Rita Jackson from Victoria, Canada writes: I did not know that we are doing such an awful thing. A society is judged on how it treats the weakest members. I am ashamed...
    How can we stop this exploitation?
  34. Raymond P from Canada writes: This was a very good article about a topic rarely mentioned. Recently we had our house, built in 1910, inspected for asbestos. The house originally was heated with wood so it didn't have any duct work. However when the duct work was put in it was wrapped with asbestos at each location where the ducts met either the floor or the wall. We had this removed. Thankfully our house was old enough that the lath and plaster walls contained horse hair rather than asbestos. It was about 1940 and up until the drywall era when plaster contained asbestos. If you are doing renovations to a pre-1975 house find out if there is asbestos in the walls before any demolition.
  35. You are moulding Canada into a Great Nation Stephan Harper from Canada writes: One five-page memo from finance officials, marked “secret advice to Minister,” proposes “new enforcement measures and legislative amendments to protect tax revenues and support the health objective of reducing tobacco consumption.” The specific measures proposed are blacked out, as is the exact estimate of money that would be raised. But figures in the government's Public Accounts released this month reveal federal tobacco revenues dropped to $1.6-billion in 2006-07, down from $2.97-billion two years earlier – suggesting a loss of more than $1-billion annually How much money did Revenue Canada give to an American Tobacco giant in Diane Findays riding ? MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT From Saturday's Globe and Mail October 27, 2007 at 12:00 AM EDT The unfortunate drawback of killing large numbers of people has led more than 40 countries, a who's who of advanced industrialized nations, to outlaw asbestos use. But Canada isn't among them. New boss , same as old boss ?The biggest purchaser, taking about a quarter of Canada's output, is India, where it's easy to find workers using one of the most dangerous materials in the world clad only in T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops.
  36. roy f from van, Canada writes: Even if you buy ther Federali's line that they encourage safe practice in using these products that only really covers the installation phase. What about the time while the product is:

    used over its lifespan
    removed
    re-used by soemone else
    removed again
    re-used again
    removed again
    dumped somewhere
    played with by children
    broken up into bits
    etc....
    There is absolutely no way that any agency can claim control over all these stages of a carcinogens life cycle.
  37. Boreal Moose from Canada writes: The article states: "Ottawa said it doesn't verify whether [asbestos] buyers follow Canadian-style rules...arguing that seeking such information would violate foreign sovereignty".

    Does the Harper government feel as concerned with the sovereignty of other nations when it comes to, say, plutonium? CANDU reactor sales? Tanks? This is nothing short of a national disgrace, putting the lie to that nice fuzzy Canada we all hypocritically feel we are a part of.
  38. Susie Q from Canada writes: It's truly is amazing what a stranglehold (pardon the pun) that Quebec has on Canada. Disgusting behaviour.
  39. Bill Smith from The wilds of the GTA, Canada writes: All this to buy votes in two small towns in Quebec's Eastern Townships. We bash the Yanks for all their miss adventures while at the same time the Federal and Quebec Govenrments have been promoting asbestos (rebranded as something else) as totally safe.

    Here is some food for thought, what would happen if there was class action lawsuit from the sufferers of asbestos exposure and both the Federal and Quebec Provincial Governments are on the hook for promoting the sale of said cancer causing product? A class action suit in the 1990's involving American Shipyard workers who were exposed to asbestos I think almost cratered an insurance company.
  40. Anne Peterson from Canada writes:
    My husband had a collapsed lung this August caused by having handled asbestos some 40 years ago. What a crime to export the stuff anywhere.
  41. Don Bryant from Calgary, Canada writes: And, once again, we Canadians take great delight in finding something to flog ourselves over. It's like we're never truly happy unless we can find fault with ourselves. We're the most self-immolating country in the world.
  42. Jacques Shellac from Montreal, Canada writes: It is disgusting to read that the industry is still actively promoted by our governments. And I'm glad to read that the vast majority of posters agree, with the exception of the WA state, anti-cdn trolls, of course.
  43. Tyler Williams from seattle, United States writes: no

    wrong

    the fellow from montreal name calls, saying i am an anti-canadian troll

    that is not correct. canada is an excellent country, easily in the top five percent of countries in the world. i would recommend canada as a superb destination for anyone, be it to travel or, for folks overseas, as a possible place to emigrate to.

    the fellow from montreal does not seem to notice the point. after three days up, this news report critcal of canada still has gotten less posts up than are received with just one hour of when a news report is posted that invites criticism of america - as correctly noted in post of 5:05 pm two days ago.

    in other words, for a larger number of post writers on this website, Don Bryant from Calgary actually has it backwards - to the contrary, a far greater number of Canadian post writers take great delight in finding something to flog america over - it's like never truly happy unless can find fault with america.
  44. Leaps Frogg from Montreal, Canada writes: Actually, my father worked a lot around asbestos, and got all the pulmonary diseases you can imagine. That did not cause his death however, although it gave him a most miserable life in the end.
  45. L B from Tanzania writes: I volunteer in Africa and on a recent project visit to a rural region orphanage for babies (35-40 infants under 18 months) we noticed one small building had a new roof. We were told by the caretaker that they found out their corrugated roofs had a 'bad material from Canada' so they changed the one where the babies slept- they couldn't afford to change any of the rest. I was shocked as were my 2 European colleagues.
    The roofs were old so I hope this practice is not continuing but how many buildings are there like this across the developing world? I wish I could send the photos for people to see for themselves, how can a country like Canada allow this to continue?
  46. Liam . from Canada writes: Tyler Williams from seattle, United States writes: no wrong the fellow from montreal name calls, saying i am an anti-canadian troll that is not correct. canada is an excellent country, easily in the top five percent of countries in the world. i would recommend canada as a superb destination for anyone, be it to travel or, for folks overseas, as a possible place to emigrate to. the fellow from montreal does not seem to notice the point. after three days up, this news report critcal of canada still has gotten less posts up than are received with just one hour of when a news report is posted that invites criticism of america - as correctly noted in post of 5:05 pm two days ago. in other words, for a larger number of post writers on this website, Don Bryant from Calgary actually has it backwards - to the contrary, a far greater number of Canadian post writers take great delight in finding something to flog america over - it's like never truly happy unless can find fault with america. =============================================== Tyler, I think that if you went to other global websites, BBC for example, you would also find very heavy anti american rhetoric and they are , according to your president, your greatest ally. To your point about the amount of posts. I assume you are fairly smart and understand marketing. I assume you also notice that this story is posted in a side column on the G&M. Have a look over the next couple weeks and you'll see that the side column stories always get fewer comments. The G&M puts the easy stuff out front where they know people will comment on it. For example, there is a story on the side about a woman in Toronto, it's called "a reward for hard work". It's been up there since October 26. It's still open and it's only received 5 comments. I would be willing to wager that had the asbestos story been in the center column of the national section, there would be hundreds of comments by now.
  47. Tyler Williams from seattle, United States writes: regarding

    liam from canada

    your comments lead to an obvious question

    in a canadian news website, why have that america-critical report front and center as a top story but have the canada-critical story burried as a mere "side column", as you call it?

    seems backwards, given the flag-waving front and center prominence given on this website to pro-canada reports (canadian astronaut does this, canadian scientist does that, canadian wins race to do this, canadian helps overseas with that, etc...).

    can you think of any other activity of any kind that canadians do that has killed more foreigners in the past 20 years than asbestos exporting? if you cannot, then it is frankly stunning that you yourself volunteered no critical comment about the burried "side column" placement of this report.
  48. Liam . from Canada writes: Tyler Williams from seattle, United States, In a previous post I had said a couple things. I said it was terrible that this was going on (exporting asbestos). I also said that importers of asbestos are also culpable to the extent that they keep importing it despite what we know about it. To your point about me not making a critical comment. a) There's a 2k word limits and it had been exhausted due to my pasting your lengthy comment and b) I actually sent an email to my Federal member of parliament (Luciene Robillard, Westmount-Ville Marie). I doubt that many others have done same because lamenting on a news site seems enough for some people. That's their business, not mine. The phony FEMA conference happened on a Friday. I can only imagine the G&M picked it up for the weekend because it' a soft, easy target. They want people on their website so give them something easy to shoot at. It's more marketnig than it is news Tyler. And it's not always anti-american. When Al Gore won the nobel prize, there were as many pro and con statements. When Cdn political stories are up there, do you think everyone speaks with one voice? Read some of them. If they were in one room, some people would be dead. As a Canadian site, I would expect there to be pro Canada news, as there is pro US news on the Fox site, Pro Ozzy news on the Sydney Morning Herald, and pro Quebec news at La Presse. Tyler, I'll issue a challenge to all who read this to contact the G&M and ask them to give more prominence to critical Canadian stories. How many people do you think will write and will the G&M listen? regards
  49. Tyler Williams from seattle, United States writes: liam

    interesting

    you just suggested that the flag-waving by the globe and mail in canada can be compared to the flag-waving of fox news in america

    um, dude, i think that you just scored a point on behalf of the observation i was making

    incidentally, regarding your "it's just a side column story" argument:

    I see that in the half day old "side story" complaining about high canadian government spending of tax money there are already 42 posts complaining in the first 10 hour span of people writing posts for that story -

    - that is about the SAME number of posts (47) as were written for this asbestos story in FOUR ENTIRE DAYS.

    And so your "side story" argument badly deflates - indeed, folks can be plenty motivated to comment on side stories, and how ottawa spends folks' tax money has garnered reflective comments at a much, much faster rate of posting than an asbestos story pointing out that canada is killing foreigners for mercantile profits.
  50. robert F from Toronto, Canada writes: This is disgusting, I mean honestly how do they sleep at night.

    Likely, very well. Nobody good could sell this product, you have to a product of evil or at least, just don't give a damn.

    We're worried about lead paint levels that were a bit high, but go ahead and do this!

    Man, another reason to never respect our government, or the west at all. We're a bunch of two faced - lying nations that are just doing what everyone else is doing, behind the scenes. Pretending to be at a higher level of development.
  51. Liam . from Montreal, Canada writes: You may be right about my "side story" theory.

    Bottom line. I care less about the placement of a story than I do the reaction it generates. If there are x posts here and it generates 0.5x emails to MP's, that's a good thing. On that I would hope we could agree.

    As for the placing of stories such as the FEMA fake news conference. Dude, that ain't gonna change anytime soon. And that story was not unconsequential either as the director of external affairs for FEMA got the heave ho over the incident. If it was as benign as people were making it out to be, I assume he'd still be there.
  52. Alistair McLaughlin from Ottawa, Canada writes: Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl has mesothelioma. He was exposed to asbestos for a few months 30 years ago when working as a brake operator for a logging outfit. I hope he makes some noise about this and begins agitating within cabinet for this industry to be shut down. Tony M, you're thinking is indeed "All Over." Thanks for the laugh.
  53. Alistair McLaughlin from Ottawa, Canada writes: I see some Harper-haters have managed to pin this on You-Know-Who. So I guess the Liberals' repeated pounding of the Kyoto drum to the exclusion of all other environmental issues was the better approach? Harper has respiratory problems himself - athsma. He also has a cabinet minister slowly dying from asbestos-caused mesothelioma (Chuck Strahl). He is also the first PM since Mulroney to show any concern at all for air pollution (i.e. actual pollution, not CO2). Seems we have a better chance than ever to have this industry shut down once and for all under his government. Of course none of this will stop the Harper-haters and their delusional blame game - facts are merely petty annoyances to be batted aside in pursuit of the real enemy. We need the Liberals - they'll get us trading carbon credits like kids trading hockey cards. That'll take care of that asbestos problem.
  54. Globe Graham from Chemainus, BC, Canada writes: Mittelstaedt in his article on asbestos has given us good scare story, just in time for Halloween. It is another example of a journalists who does not have a grasp on science or statistics and can not give us a balanced article. As a former asbestos mill worker I find the article to be poorly researched and biased. (Yes, I am healthy, in spite of the exposure.). True, asbestos workers must be properly protected with respirators. However statistically, asbestos is not the demon that the public has been lead to believe. The point is well made by John Stossel in the ABC News video "Are We Scaring Ourselves To Death". To put the danger in perspective, he points out that statistically in New York when the schools were closed for the removal of asbestos the children were more at risk from injury while playing out of doors than they were from asbestos exposure.

    The article falls into the usual pattern: a poorly researched work, ignoring comparative risk – benefit analysis, excites the public which then lobbies the politicians who rush to enact inappropriate laws.

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