(Original letter sent in French)<\/p>\n
Dear Premier Pauline Marois:<\/p>\n
We wish to congratulate you for cancelling the $58 million loan to Fibre Min\u00e9rale (FM) Inc. With these funds, the company wished to open the Jeffrey underground mine and export millions of tons of asbestos to developing countries over the coming years.<\/p>\n
In order to protect public health, it is critically important that governments make policy decisions on the basis of reputable, independent evidence. We applaud you for heeding the recommendation of the Quebec Medical Association, the Canadian Cancer Society \u2013 Quebec Division and the Quebec Public Health Association, as well as l’Association des m\u00e9decins sp\u00e9cialistes en sant\u00e9 communautaire du Qu\u00e9bec, who all called for an end to the mining, use and export of asbestos, and who warned the previous government that the loan would lead an increase in asbestos-related disease and death both in Quebec and overseas.<\/p>\n
We particularly wish to recognize the significant contribution made by Daniel Breton in resolving this issue.<\/p>\n
We also applaud the fact that your government is working with the asbestos mining communities of Asbestos and Thetford Mines in order to provide financial and other assistance to enable these communities to develop sustainable economic initiatives to replace asbestos mining. Of particular concern is the plight of older workers who have worked for most of their life in the asbestos industry and who may face difficulties in obtaining alternative employment. We are glad that your government has renewed for a further two years the monthly financial assistance that has been provided for the past three years to older former workers at the Jeffrey mine. We urge that a similar aid be provided to older former workers of the LAC mine at Thetford Mines, who have not found alternative employment. We urge you to continue and strengthen efforts to assist these two communities and the former workers. An economically and socially stable community and the opportunity for decent employment are essential components of health.<\/p>\n
We offer you our full support to implement further actions that are required to address the asbestos issue. An overall strategic plan of action is necessary to protect the Quebec population from ongoing exposure to asbestos harm and to stop the use of asbestos-containing products. We would be glad to collaborate with you in the development of such an overall plan of action.<\/p>\n
The action of your government in cancelling the loan to the Jeffrey mine has been applauded by the public health community around the world and has helped restore the honour of Quebec as a jurisdiction that respects scientific evidence and supports public health.<\/p>\n
Sincerely,<\/p>\n
JOHN R. KEYSERLINGK<\/strong>, MD, FRCS, FACS; Professeur Associ\u00e9, Universit\u00e9 McGill; Chirurgien en Oncologie, Centres hospitaliers de St-Mary, G\u00e9n\u00e9ral de Montr\u00e9al et du Sacr\u00e9-C\u0153ur; Directeur du Centre d\u2019oncologie Ville Marie, Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n FERNAND TURCOTTE<\/strong>, MD, MPH, FRCPC, Professeur \u00e9m\u00e9rite au d\u00e9partement de m\u00e9decine sociale et pr\u00e9ventive, Facult\u00e9 de M\u00e9decine, Universit\u00e9 Laval, Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n PIERRE GOSSELIN,<\/strong> MD, MPH, Professeur adjoint de clinique, D\u00e9partement de m\u00e9decine sociale et pr\u00e9ventive, Facult\u00e9 de m\u00e9decine, Universit\u00e9 Laval, Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n ABBY LIPPMAN,<\/strong> PhD, Professor Emerita, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n PIERRE DESHAIES<\/strong>, MD, MSc, CSPQ, FRCPC, professeur de clinique, d\u00e9partement de m\u00e9decine sociale et pr\u00e9ventive, facult\u00e9 de m\u00e9decine, Universit\u00e9 Laval, Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n LOUISE VANDELAC<\/strong>, Ph.D., Professeure titulaire, D\u00e9partement de sociologie, Directrice de l’Institut des sciences de l\u2019environnement de l’UQAM, Chercheure CINBIOSE et TITNT UQAM et P\u00f4le risques MRSH, Universit\u00e9 de Caen.<\/p>\n RAY BUSTINZA<\/strong>, m\u00e9decin, Institut national de sant\u00e9 publique<\/p>\n PIERRE L. AUGER<\/strong>, M.D., MSc, FRCPC, CSPQ, m\u00e9decine du travail, professeur de clinique universit\u00e9 Laval, M\u00e9decine sociale et pr\u00e9ventive<\/p>\n \u00c9RIC NOTEBAERT<\/strong>, MD, MSc., CSPQ, Professeur Agr\u00e9g\u00e9, Facult\u00e9 de M\u00e9decine, Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al; Association Canadienne des M\u00e9decins pour l\u2019Environnement; Cercle Scientifique, Fondation David Suzuki<\/p>\n JEAN ZIGBY<\/strong>, CCFP, FCFP, MDCM; Pr\u00e9sident, Association Canadienne des M\u00e9decins pour l\u2019Environnement<\/p>\n YV BONNIER VIGER<\/strong>, MD, MSc, MM, CMSQ, FRCPC; Directeur du D\u00e9partement de m\u00e9decine sociale et pr\u00e9ventive de l’Universit\u00e9 Laval; Pr\u00e9sident de l’Association des m\u00e9decins sp\u00e9cialistes en sant\u00e9 communautaire du Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n CAMILLE PAQUETTE<\/strong>, MD M.Sc. FRCPC, m\u00e9decin-conseil, Direction de sant\u00e9 publique de l’Outaouais et charg\u00e9e de cours clinique, D\u00e9partement d’\u00e9pid\u00e9miologie, de biostatiques et de sant\u00e9 au travail, Universit\u00e9 McGill<\/p>\n ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES M\u00c9DECINS POUR L\u2019ENVIRONNEMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00c9RIC LAMPRON-GOULET<\/strong>, MD, M.Sc., FRCPC, Adjoint m\u00e9dical au directeur de sant\u00e9 publique, Direction sant\u00e9 publique de l’Abitibi-T\u00e9miscamingue<\/p>\n LUC BH\u00c9RER<\/strong>, M.D., m\u00e9decin du travail, CHU de Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n MICHEL ROSSIGNOL<\/strong>, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Professeur, d\u00e9partement d’\u00e9pid\u00e9miologie, biostatistiques et de sant\u00e9 au travail, Universit\u00e9 McGill, Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n NATHANA\u00cbLLE TH\u00c9RIAULT<\/strong>, M.D., M.Sc., FRCPC, Charg\u00e9e d’enseignement clinique, D\u00e9partement de m\u00e9decine sociale et pr\u00e9ventive, Facult\u00e9 de m\u00e9decine, Universit\u00e9 Laval<\/p>\n DENIS LALIBERT\u00c9,<\/strong> MD, MPH, FRCPC; Professeur agr\u00e9g\u00e9, D\u00e9partement de m\u00e9decine sociale et pr\u00e9ventive, Facult\u00e9 de m\u00e9decine, Universit\u00e9 Laval.<\/p>\n MARIE-FRANCE RAYNAULT<\/strong>, sp\u00e9cialiste en sant\u00e9 publique et m\u00e9decine pr\u00e9ventive<\/p>\n LOUISE LAJOIE<\/strong>, M.D., M.Sc., M\u00e9decin sp\u00e9cialiste en sant\u00e9 publique et m\u00e9decine pr\u00e9ventive, Direction de sant\u00e9 publique de la Mont\u00e9r\u00e9gie; Professeur d’enseignement clinique, Universit\u00e9 de Sherbrooke<\/p>\n ROBERT SIMARD<\/strong>, M.D., CMFC, DOHS, FRCP, M\u00e9decin-conseil, Direction de la Sant\u00e9 Publique, Estrie<\/p>\n SAMI ST\u00c9PHANE MOHANNA<\/strong>, MD, FRCPC, Sp\u00e9cialiste en m\u00e9decine pr\u00e9ventive et sant\u00e9 publique, professeur auxiliaire facult\u00e9 de m\u00e9decine universit\u00e9 d’Ottawa<\/p>\n LINDA PERRON<\/strong>, MD, FRCP, PhD, Direction de l’analyse et de l’\u00e9valuation des syst\u00e8mes de soins et services, Institut national de sant\u00e9 publique du Qu\u00e9bec<\/p>\n JOANNE AUB\u00c9-MAURICE<\/strong>, MD, MSc, FRCPC, m\u00e9decin conseil, direction de sant\u00e9 publique du Bas-St-Laurent, Rimouski<\/p>\n NOTE: Institutions named for identification reasons only<\/strong><\/p>\n cc. \u00c9laine Zaka\u00efb, Daniel Breton<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (Original letter sent in French) Dear Premier Pauline Marois: We wish to congratulate you for cancelling the $58 million loan to Fibre Min\u00e9rale (FM) Inc. With these funds, the company wished to open the Jeffrey underground mine and export millions of tons of asbestos to developing countries over the coming years. 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