Canada doesn’t allow Asbestos to be used in Canada but is more than willing to export it to third world countries.

Asbestos is a cheap insulating agent that is banned in most of the developed world because it is highly toxic and exposure to it greatly increases the odds of developing lung cancer.

Lax regulation in the third world has maintained a ready market for the toxic Asbestos, a market that Canada is more than willing to supply.

The United Nations’ Rotterdam Convention is an international system of labeling products that are toxic or dangerous. If a substance is listed by the convention there is a requirement that it be labeled with warnings about its dangers. The convention was designed as an early warning system for those that may not be aware of health and safety issues that might be attached to specific products.

Canada is a major exporter of Asbestos and feels that warning potential customers about their product could dampen commercial market opportunities.

The members of the Rotterdam Convention met recently in Rome to review their list of dangerous substances. Listing Chrysotile Asbestos was high on their agenda.

Canada worked a perfect behind the scenes diplomatic game by not objecting to the listing of Asbestos, instead they opted to have other “surrogate” nations to do their bidding.

How could Canada object to the listing of a toxic substance when they refuse to use it at home because of its proven toxic potency?

The simple answer is politics.

Canada, which has a pristine reputation for concern about the environment, is not above placing the health of people in danger for political reasons.

“Canada’s defense of Asbestos has nothing to do with reason or logic or economics. It’s all about domestic politics,” said Pat Martin a Canadian opposition member of parliament who attended the meeting in Rome.

Canada has one remaining active Asbestos mine, located in Thetford Mines, Quebec. The mine employs 350 people.

The political problem is that the mine is located in Quebec and any unnecessary disruption of the separatist Quebec political sentiment isn’t worth the gamble for the current government of Canada.

“They call Asbestos the tobacco industry’s evil twin – they both survive on phony research and intense lobbying and sell a class A toxin,” said Pat Martin.

Canada exports 95 percent of its Asbestos because it is dangerous to keep inside the country. The lobby group that represents the Asbestos industry contends that the material is safe when mixed with concrete and is handled safely.

Without warning labels how would a sandaled, shirtless worker know how to handle Asbestos safely? How would he know that he was dealing with a toxic material?

India and many other countries use Canadian Asbestos in water pipes and roofing materials because it makes those products more durable.

Canada’s Parliament buildings in Ottawa are currently undergoing a major renovation to remove Asbestos that was used as an insulating material.

 It seems that the insulation is too toxic for Canada’s politicians.