Protests Overseas Against Canada’s Deadly Asbestos Trade

Thu, Jul 1, 2010

Misc.

PROTESTS OVERSEAS AGAINST CANADA’S DEADLY ASBESTOS TRADE

Around the world, health experts, trade unionists and social activists have called on Premier Charest and Prime Minister Harper to stop supporting and funding Canada’s deadly asbestos trade.

Demonstrations to stop asbestos export were held on Quebec’s National Day, June 24, in the following cities: Hong Kong, Seoul, Brussels, New York and Washington DC.

See photos above of demonstrations outside the Canadian embassy in London and Paris on Canada Day, July 1. Slogans said:

CANADA : Stop exporting death

CANADA : Stop your lies about asbestos!

Asbestos + Canada SHAME!

Amiante Canada dangerous liaisons (the most literary …)

Canada : leave asbestos in the ground

CANADA’S LEADING MEDICAL ORGANISATIONS SAY “NO” TO ASBESTOS

On June 30, the Quebec Medical Association, representing Quebec’s 9,500 doctors, issued a public statement calling on Premier Charest to end asbestos mining and export and to stop a proposed $58 million Quebec government subsidy to open a new asbestos mine. If it gets this government subsidy, the Jeffery mine plans to export 200,000 tonnes of asbestos a year to developing countries for the next 25 years.

In the past few days, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Public Health Association and the National Specialty Society for Community Medicine have all called on Premier Charest to reject the proposed $58 million subsidy  and instead give public funds to support healthy economic diversification for the mining community. They all called on Premier Charest and Prime Minister Harper to stop supporting the asbestos industry. Canada’s last two asbestos mines are in Quebec. Both are under bankruptcy protection. Both are running out of asbestos. The Jeffrey mine has been closed for the past nine months. The only operating mine, LAB Chrysotile Inc. in Thetford Mines, has approximately 350 workers.

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