Retired Canadian Parliament Member, and Minister of Agriculture, Chuck Strahl has issued a supportive statement about including chrysotile asbestos on the United Nations Rotterdam Convention’s prior informed consent (PIC) list. This would require countries importing chrysotile to be informed of the dangers of the material and allow them to reject its receipt. ADAO recently supported a letter, signed by over two hundred health doctors, labor and public health organizations, to Canadian Prime Minister Harper urging him to alter Canada’s position from 2008’s Convention and support adding chysotile to the PIC list. View letter.
Former MP Strahl knows firsthand the perils of asbestos, as he was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2005. Strahl’s diagnosis was linked to his frequent exposure to asbestos in his work as a logger in British Columbia decades ago. In recognition of his courageous spirit ADAO awarded then MP Strahl our Tribute of Inspiration award at the 2006 Asbestos Disease Awareness Conference held at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
Strahl’s advocacy for adding chysotile to the PIC list supports the rights of all nations to protect their citizens from this deadly fiber, and continues his inspiring tradition.
The Rotterdam Convention votes today, June 20th in Geneva Switzerland on whether to include this deadly fiber, and ADAO will provide updates on this critical issue as they become available.
In unity,
Linda Reinstein (Facebook)
June 14, 2011 post: Groups Ask Harper to Put Global Health ahead of Interests of Asbestos Lobby and news articles
