Asbestos Exposure Symptoms: Mesothelioma Cancer & Lung Disease

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Mesothelioma Cancer & Lung Disease

Letter To MP In Support Of ‘StopAsbestos’ Campaign

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 03:48 AM PDT

Canada is the leading exporter of asbestos to third-world countries, where unsuspecting victims use the deadly material as building insulation. In 2006 – Canada's Conservative Government refused to acknowledge experts advice regarding the toxicity of asbestos and shunned the idea that asbestos should be added to the UN's list of toxic substances.

Canada's ignorance concerning the dangers of asbestos has led them to stoop to even lower levels of irresponsibility by blocking international attempts to add health/safety warning labels to exported asbestos.

How can the Canadian Government justify such ignorance when scientific and medical evidence clearly shows that asbestos is a carcinogen and causes over 100,000 lives every year?

Are they merely trying to preserve the jobs of their 1,600 asbestos mine workers and the 'economy pot' at the expense of thousands of lives?

An asbestos mine worker in Andhra Pradesh, India, handling asbestos

A high majority of Conservative MPs’ in Canada are refusing to ackwnoweledge any corrospondence concerning their ‘lone stance’ on the dangers of asbestos.

I have sent this letter to one of the Conservative MPs’, hoping for a reply or at least some sort of acknowledgement. If the Conservatives choose not to have a voice – then we – the public need to have a voice for those vulnerable people in developing countries and help to put an end to asbestos exportation for good.

‘Please support the ‘StopAsbestos’ campaign by writing to one of Canada’s Conservative MPs’. A Link for the list of MPs’ can be found at the end of my letter:

Letter to Conservative MP Chris Alexander. . . . . . .

Dear Chris,

I am writing with reference to the exportation and use of asbestos in Canada. As a British citizen – I am absolutely shocked and dumfounded by Canada's role in asbestos – as here in the UK, our regulations prohibit the importation, supply and use of all forms of asbestos. This ban was introduced (predominantly for blue and brown asbestos in 1985 followed by white asbestos in 1999.

This ban is a result of the support of our MPs' that relentlessly fought tooth and nail to protect their people from the devastating ill affects of asbestos exposure.

I cannot comprehend how any MP could justify in having an 'ignorant stance' on the continued use of asbestos – as asbestos has been officially classified as a known human carcinogen by the United States of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the EPA, (Environmental Protection Agency).

Millions of people have died as a result of asbestos exposure. The truth and evidence is written on their death certificates, and the hearts and minds of their devastated loved ones. I personally know people that have died from mesothelioma – one of the cruellest asbestos causing diseases I have ever witnessed. 'Can you imagine what it would feel like to be told that you have only 8 months to live? That is exactly what most mesothelioma victims hear at their first consultation. A friend of mine was exposed to asbestos as a young child when her daddy would regularly scoop her up in his arms after a long day of working with asbestos. She inhaled the minute fibres from his work clothing.

I understand that one of your constituents (Doreen Strachen) died recently from mesothelioma. She was exposed to chrysotile asbestos fibres through laundering her husband's overalls. I met one of her daughters through my mesothelioma/asbestos support group and both daughters live in fear every day, with the knowledge that mesothelioma has a long latency period of 10-50 years and that they could develop it at any time.

Among industrialized countries, - not only does Canada 'stands alone' and continually chooses to ignore and acknowledge the thousands of cases of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancer, but still continues to sacrifice the lives of people in poor and developing countries through the exportation of deadly asbestos.

Chris, it is my hope that you will hear my concerns, and that you will choose to have a voice for your people, the very people that rely on their MPs' to protect them and their families. Please follow Conservative MPs' Ed Holder and Pat Davidson in the ban and exportation of asbestos.

I sincerely hope and pray that the citizens of Canada and developing countries afflicted by asbestos disease will have the privilege to feel much safer again as we UK citizens do in the eminent future.

For a complete list of MPs' that support 'StopAsbestos' campaign – please see here:

http://www.stopasbestos.ca/campaignsupport.html

I will appreciate and look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.

Yours sincerely . . .

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