Belledune residents seek health answers
Residents of Belledune say they still have many unanswered questions about a health report released last week that found above-average rates of cancer and premature death in their area.
- RELATED LINK: Belledune Area Health Study
About 100 people went to a public meeting Tuesday night to hear scientists and health officials explain the results.
Kim Noel said she also went to the meeting to find out what she should do to keep her two young children safe.
"I'm not into politics and I'm not a scientist. My concern as a parent is that I want a healthy environment for my children to grow up in."
The scientists confirmed that the area had high levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic, related to industrial activity in the area.
But people like Noel who expected to hear a list of things they should and shouldn't do to protect themselves, went away disappointed.
They were told there was no proven link between the area's high cancer rates and the concentration of heavy metals in the environment.
- FROM MAY 24, 2005: Study confirms more cancer in Belledune
Isabelle Aube of the Conservation Council says that kind of response isn't very satisfying for people who want practical information.
"People are frustrated. People are confused. They want to know what they should do, what they should not do, and these are the types of questions I think a lot of the citizens wanted answered."
Karen Scott, another Belledune resident, said she was insulted that Health Minister Elvy Robichaud didn't come to the meeting.
"It tells me that he doesn't care, or he would have been here to answer questions and concerns and tell people things to minimize their risk."
The Belledune health study cost $900,000, three times what it was supposed to cost.
One thing the residents did hear, however, was the price tag on the study.
The province's chief epidemiologist said a lot of extra time and money was spent computerizing 30-year-old health information.
The province has ordered more tests of lead levels in blood and in locally grown food.
It's also going to collect more health information from the residents, as it searches for possible causes of the higher cancer and mortality rates in the Belledune area.
Much of the new research will focus on the residents' eating habits, smoking rates and the prevalence of medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
- FROM MAY 25, 2005: MLAs says mussels warning came too late