Canadian Ambassador ignores labor groups on asbestos

Manila, Philippines — Newly installed Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Christopher Thornley never responded to the request of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the Associated Labor Unions (ALU) and the Building and Woodworkers International (BWI) for an appointment to receive the trade union statement on asbestos and make a brief response to it on October 7, 2010. The trade union statement:

* Holds the Canadian government accountable for asbestos deaths;
* Urges Canada to stop mining and exporting asbestos; and
* Calls for Canada to contribute actively to the elimination of asbestos related diseases.

October 7 is World Day for Decent Work and the meeting with the Canadian Ambassador was in line with the Philippine trade unions’ call for decent work under health and safety in the workplace.

This was the second chance the Canadian Embassy in Manila wasted to show concern for workers who died or were afflicted with asbestos-related diseases despite repeated phone calls and an email. The Canadian Embassy declined meeting union leaders on asbestos on April 28, 2010 during the International Commemoration Day (ICD).

Canada exports asbestos deaths

Canada claims to be a defender of human rights while continuing to export deadly chrysotile asbestos to the Philippines and other developing countries in Asia. Chrysotile was exported to Japan and Korea before its eventual ban in those countries. Asbestos related deaths will continue in many years to come because an asbestos disease can develop up to 40 years from first exposure.

The asbestos industry falsely claims that chrysotile is safe and that there is ‘safe use’ in the use of chrysotile.  But international and professional organizations, such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization (ILO), classify chrysotile asbestos as a human carcinogen with no safe level of exposure.

WHO says more than 107,000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis resulting from exposure at work. A person dies every 5 minutes because of asbestos in the workplace.  Several thousand deaths annually can be attributed to exposure to asbestos in the home.

A large number of these deaths will come from the mines of Quebec in Canada. Quebec was preparing to give a loan guarantee of $58 million to rescue the asbestos industry and allow the opening of the new Jeffrey underground mine. Quebec and the rest of Canada refuse to use asbestos, so Jeffrey Mine will export 200,000 tons of asbestos a year to developing countries for the next 25 to 50 years.

The Quebec Medical Association, the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Medical Association say that support for the mine “will help spread the global epidemic of asbestos-related cancers and damage Canada’s reputation as a global leader in public health”.