One of the greatest possible threats to indoor air quality is asbestos. The fire-retardant material’s tiny fibers harm our lungs immediately after exposure and can cause several forms of cancer, including mesothelioma, a cancer that attacks the protective lining covering the body’s organs.
One person who understands the true danger behind asbestos: Michaela Keyserlingk. Asbestos gave her husband mesothelioma after he worked for years on Canadian naval ships. It killed him. And she’s not happy about it.
Keyserlingk recently ruffled the Canadian federal government’s feathers; she used the PC Party logo in an online popup ad she created, stating: “Canada is the only western country that still exports asbestos!”
The Conservatives aren’t upset that she told a lie. She didn’t. After all, they’ve made their own bed this spring and summer by publicly taking the position that, even though we demand asbestos removal in our own country, it’s OK to export it to developing nations. The stance has drawn some of the worse worldwide criticism for Canada in recent memory; even Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show attacked Canadian asbestos mining with a vicious segment.
For that reason, Keyserlingk figured it was justified to simply post an ad stating the government’s established position. She got under the Tories’ skin quickly. Dan Hilton, executive director of the Conservative Party, warned her for “unauthorized use of trademark” and insisted that failure to stop using the logo immediately “made result in further action.”
Is their dissent in the Conservative ranks? Why should they be upset over an ad stating a complete true fact? If the Tories are worried about the mention of their asbestos exportation tarnishing their image, here’s an idea: stop doing it.
Keyserlingk knows she’s in legal trouble but insists that she’ll only take the ad down when the government properly explains why it supports asbestos exportation. The Keyserlingks are direct evidence of the horrible death asbestos cause; maybe their tale will cause the government to finally take asbestos seriously.
Environmental Services Group is a cutting edge environmental consulting firm based in Toronto and servicing both the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario. We provide state-of-the-art, industry-leading expertise in remedying environmental hazards such as mold, lead, asbestos and much more. Call 416-575-6111 or visit our website today for a pressure-free initial consultation. You’ll be glad you did!
