Asbestos, Que., was in the spotlight Thursday when American satirical news program, “The Daily Show” did a report on the town. It’s host, comedian Jon Stewart, expressed confusion over the town’s mining and exporting of the cancer-causing mineral.
Reporter Aasif Mandvi made a trip to the Quebec town seeking an explanation.
“Does asbestos mean something different in French than in English?” Mumbai-born Mandvi asked Asbestos executive, Bernard Coulombe. “Because in English, it means, “˜slow, hacking death.’”
A seemingly confused Coulombe replied, "Yeah? It means that?", later noting plans were underway to build an underground mine – which would produce 200,000 tons of chrysotile fibre each year.
The Town of Asbestos is home to the Jeffrey Mines. It’s one of the last asbestos mines in Canada. And while asbestos is still used in this country, it’s handled according to strict safety procedures.
The town of Asbestos, however, sells the material abroad, where such strict procedures are not always upheld.
In those cases, workers are at risk of mesothelioma – a rare form of cancer.
Resident: “˜They should shut the mine’
On Friday, Global News visited the town of Asbestos to find out how residents were reacting to the Jon Stewart report.
Sixty-year-old mechanic Robert Olney has lived in Asbestos his entire life.
His father died from cancer due to asbestos contamination.
“They should shut the mine down and turn the place into a ghost town,” he said.
Luc Bourget has lived in Asbestos for 20 years – his girlfriend works for the mine.
Bourget says Americans should educate themselves before making judgement.
“Their petrole isn’t any better than asbestos,” he said.
Steve Dion has lived in the town for 10 years and doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about.
Safety precautions
"I don’t understand why people are trying to ban it. The safety precautions they take now make it safe," he said.
In the Daily Show story, Mandvi interviewed Dr. Matthew Stanbrook, deputy editor of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
“All forms of asbestos, including chrysotile, cause cancer and other harmful lung affects,” Stanbrook said, adding, “Unquestionably, the mine should shut down.”
When Mandvi confronted Asbestos Town Manager George Gagne with that recommendation, he didn’t quite agree.
“Asbestos is banned in some parts of the world, but here in Quebec, we’re telling that you should use more asbestos,” Gagne said.
To justify their point of view, both Gagne and Coulombe said when safety precautions are taken, asbestos can be a safe substance.
To illustrate, Coulombe said Quebec was selling the mineral to India, and that they were “used to pollution” in that country.
He added, “They use chrysatile safely in India.”
That’s when the report pointed to a CBC documentary, Asbestos: Canada’s Ugly Secret.
The documentary showed workers in India handling asbestos in a room full of it, with thin scarves covering their mouths.
“Those are real bandanas,” Mandvi sarcastically remarked, also reminding that the material is linked with 100,000 lung cancer deaths each year.
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