Canada is one of the world's biggest exporters of Asbestos, even though its is severely limited in its use here at home due to health concerns. We are in some dubious company in trying to keep asbestos off the world's banned list - Russia, Iran, Zimbabwe.
Chrysotile asbestos is the fancy new marketing name for Asbestos. Just as the tar sands get referred to as Oil sands, the Harper Government is trying to disguise the damaging product.
During the federal election the NDP came out solidly opposed to the export of Asbestos. They did it even though the Quebec government endorses its export. Harper visited the riding and said his party would continue to support asbestos mining and its export as long as other countries were willing to buy it. Where does most of this asbestos go? To the third world and countries like India.
How much value is there to this product to Canada? Ninety million dollars annually according to CBC. That is a drop in the bucket nationally. We would hardly miss the money.
CBC has discovered that the Harper Conservative government has not only been supportive of the industry, they have done so despite the advice of Health Canada. Now that's a Canada that's here for who? Certainly not for me or you, or the poor folks that will be using this product.
The Liberals can't be jumping too high here. They in government supported the industry for many years as well, for purely political reasons. Now with those reasons gone, the Liberals are on board to ban the export of this substance. Welcome to the party!
Finally this whole thing kinda makes me laugh when I hear the Quebec provincial government get on their high horse to chastise Alberta for the tar sands. We all know what would be happening if those Tar Sands were in "La belle province".
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