In 2006 and 2011, Canada was the lead country to prevent the listing of chrysotile asbestos as a hazardous substance under the UN Rotterdam Convention, thus allowing asbestos to be sold in the global South as a “safe” product. After the Quebec government shut down the asbestos industry in 2012, the former Harper government still refused to support the listing at UN meetings in 2013 and 2015.
Prime Minister Trudeau has stated that asbestos is hazardous to Canadians and that his government plans to ban it. But the Trudeau government is taking the position that it has not yet made up its mind whether chrysotile asbestos should be put on the UN list of hazardous substances. How can asbestos be harmful to Canadians but not to people overseas?
Right now a special UN initiative is under way to try to resolve the crisis largely caused by Canada and get chrysotile asbestos put on the Rotterdam Convention’s list of hazardous substances at the next conference in 2017.
Click below and tell PM Trudeau Canadians want him to show his promised leadership and support the listing of chrysotile asbestos as a hazardous substance under the UN Rotterdam Convention and help make the Convention effective.
Thank you for speaking up for justice and health for all.
Kathleen
Tue, Jul 5, 2016
2 Comments