May 26, 2011
Warawa may fight asbestos
By Matthew Claxton, Langley Advance May 26, 2011
Just weeks after Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada won’t ban asbestos exports, Langley MP Mark Warawa wants to re-open the debate.
Warawa, a member of Harper’s Conservative Party, said he wants to bring up the issue again. “I think we need to take a serious look at the export of asbestos,” he said. “It’s directly linked to cancer.”
He noted that asbestos is currently being removed – at great expense – from one wing of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa.
Warawa would not say if he favours an outright ban on the export of the substance, or other measures. “I think we need to look at all options,” he said.
During the federal campaign that just finished with Harper winning his first majority government, he campaigned in the town of Asbestos, Que., Canada’s major source of the substance.
Calling it “chrysotile,” Harper dismissed calls from health groups to limit the exports. “Canada is one of a number of exporters of chrysotile and there are many countries where it is legal who are buyers,” Harper said. “And this government will not put Canadian industry in a position where it is discriminated against in a market where sale is permitted.” He said the sale of asbestos is permitted internationally under conditions of safe and controlled use.
Warawa said his departure after five years from the post of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment was at his own request. He wants to focus on other issues and hopes to be appointed to a number of committees once Parliament resumes sitting on June 2. Justice, public safety, and human rights are his top picks, Warawa said.
“I’m waiting to find out which committees I’m on,” he said.
In addition to the asbestos issue, he wants the Canadian government to condemn attacks against albino people in Tanzania, and he is interested in working on issues of border access and medical marijuana.
- with files from Postmedia News
© Copyright (c) Langley Advance
