Canada's PM pushes asbestos for votes

On 26 April 2011 articles in many Canadian and foreign papers reported that Canadian PM Stephen Harper had a campaign stop in Asbestos, Quebec in which he supported allowing Quebec's asbestos industry to export its product abroad:

• Canada labelled 'immoral asbestos pusher'

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 107,000 people die of exposure to asbestos annually. Quebec's asbestos industry employs 500-800 people. And we wonder why Canada's reputation around the globe is in shreds. Harper supports Canada as an immoral exporter of death to poor countries.

Is there anything our PM won't do for a vote? Do Canadian jobs trump killing others? Anyone who votes Conservative needs to know what Harper stands for. And why was there no mention of Harper's Quebec campaign stop to support asbestos exports in the Edmonton Journal? Aren't newspapers supposed to keep citizens informed about the activities of the government?

Canada's shame (Pimping asbestos overseas)

Updated: 15 Dec. 2016 (to fix one of the links) 

Sometimes, and I hate to admit it, I am ashamed to be Canadian:

• Health orgs call on governments to ban use and export of asbestos from Quebec mines (5 July 2010)
• Cancer Society deeply disappointed Quebec has approved loans to asbestos mine (29 June 2012)

Another example of 'geld uber alles.'

Reminds me of people moaning about poor American tobacco farmers losing a living and how the US government subsidizes an industry that kills millions. Tobacco companies sell a deadly product to developing countries now that domestic markets have decreased.

Turns out Canada also plays this despicable game. Shame on us!