Jeffrey Simpson offers his take on the politics of the exportation of asbestos in the February 4, 2010 edition of the Globe and Mail. His criticisms extend past the Government of Quebec to the federal government in Ottawa as well:
Ottawa is intimately involved in this dirty game, too. It even sends diplomats to international meetings to frustrate any worldwide action against asbestos. And Canadian taxpayers are soiled by this export of a dangerous product that is scarcely, if ever, used in this country.
Face up to it: Canadians, in their moral superiority, might think our country has an unsullied international image, especially in environmental matters. The reality is that those in the fisheries business know how poorly we have managed some of our stocks. Europe and the rest of the world are utterly repelled by the slaughter of seals, and no amount of public-relations campaigning and political posturing will alter that reality.
The tar sands are a growing PR nightmare, as is Canada’s weak greenhouse-gas emissions record. To these are added the ongoing export of asbestos from Quebec, exposing the province’s hypocrisy and tarnishing Canada’s reputation abroad.
The full article can be read below, or by clicking here. (more…)
Mon, Feb 8, 2010
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