NDP MPP Jamie West is asking for an official statement of apology from the Government of Ontario to the 25,000 miners who were forced to breathe in harmful aluminum dust or lose their jobs, between 1943 and 1980. Many miners suffered immediate and long-term health effects as a result.<\/p>\n
West held a press conference on Tuesday with former miners and family members who were subjected to the neurotoxic aluminum dust known as McIntyre Powder. This year, the Ministry of Labour announced that a diagnosis of Parkinson\u2019s disease linked to McIntyre Powder aluminum dust will be formally recognized as an occupational disease under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked in silica dust and ammonia fumes from blasting,\u201d said Bill Ferguson, a McIntyre Powder Project miner. \u201cAnd at the start of each shift they would line your lungs with that aluminum dust before we went underground. The theory was that the silica and rock dust wouldn\u2019t stick to your lungs and you\u2019d cough up the aluminum at the end of your shift, but that didn\u2019t work. They sprayed me with that for 18 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
West has submitted a motion to the government and wrote the following open letter to Premier Doug Ford calling for the apology because the Ontario government-supported and sanctioned the use of McIntyre Powder despite expert evidence that recommended against its use as treatment to prevent lung disease.<\/p>\n
April 26, 2022<\/p>\n
The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
\nLegislative Building
\nQueen’s Park
\nToronto ON M7A 1A1<\/p>\n
Premier Ford,<\/p>\n
I recently filed a motion for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to provide an official statement of apology to Ontario\u2019s McIntyre Powder Project miners. Please let me explain why this apology is warranted.<\/p>\n
Between 1943 and 1979, more than 25,000 Ontario mine workers were forced to breathe a finely-ground aluminum dust known as \u201cMcIntyre Powder.\u201d This aluminum dust was a scientifically unproven treatment to prevent the lung disease silicosis. The miners were told that breathing McIntyre Powder would protect them from harm.<\/p>\n
Before the start of each and every shift, the doors of the Dry (the mining change room) were sealed shut. The ventilation was turned off, and a grey mist of fine aluminum dust was pumped inside. It made the air turn silvery-grey. The miners sealed inside were told to breathe deeply so that the dust could coat their lungs and \u201cprotect them\u201d. If they refused, they were fired.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, McIntyre Aluminum Powder didn\u2019t protect these miners. Instead, they experienced immediate and long-term health effects. This has been well-documented through the McIntyre Powder Project (a voluntary registry to document health issues in mine workers who were exposed to McIntyre Powder aluminum dust in their workplaces).<\/p>\n
Fortunately, we have come a long way since this began. Decades ago, despite expert evidence that recommended against the use of McIntyre Powder, this practice was supported and sanctioned by the Ontario government. This year, the Ministry of Labour announced that a diagnosis of Parkinson\u2019s disease linked to McIntyre Powder aluminum dust will be formally recognized as an occupational disease under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.<\/p>\n
With this in mind, I write to you on behalf of the more than 25,000 miners and their families from all across Ontario. These are valued community members, loving husbands and wives, supportive fathers and mothers. These are people who dedicated their lives and their work to the betterment of our province. I am asking the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to provide an official statement of apology to the McIntyre Powder Project miners. What happened wasn\u2019t fair and they deserve to hear this as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
These miners and their families know that the apology would be symbolic, but because many of the remaining miners are elderly and most are health-comprised, it remains incredibly urgent and important to them. And, while this apology has been merited for some time, the lifting of restrictions means that it is now possible for these miners and their families, from across the province, to be present in the legislature to hear it from all of us in person.<\/p>\n
My motion reads as follows:<\/p>\n
That, in the opinion of this House, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario should provide an official statement of apology to the McIntyre Powder Project miners for their subjugation to the inhalation of finely ground aluminum dust known as \u201cMcIntyre Powder\u201d and for the immediate and long-term health effects these miners suffered as a result.<\/p>\n
I would recommend that, we agree on a time to introduce a UC motion for this apology. The motion would provide 5 minutes to the Government, 5 minutes to the Official Opposition, and 5 minutes distributed evenly to the Independent Members (as has been standard) to provide a statement of apology to Ontario\u2019s Mine Workers that were subjugation to the inhalation of finely ground aluminum dust known as \u201cMcIntyre Powder\u201d and for the immediate and long-term health effects these miners suffered as a result.<\/p>\n
Please reach out to me at any time if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to your response.<\/p>\n
Sincerely,<\/p>\n
(Original signed)<\/p>\n
Jamie West, MPP\/D\u00e9put\u00e9 Sudbury<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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