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Miners affected by McIntyre powder deserve apology from Ontario government, activist says

The founder of the McIntyre Powder project is collecting signatures to petition the government to apologize to miners exposed to aluminum dust.

Sudbury MPP Jamie West has already introduced 63 signatures to the Legislative Assembly in support of apology

CBC News ·
Four small canisters, one white with black writing, the other three shiny with yellow tops and bottoms with black writing, sitting on a woodgrain table.
There are four known canisters of McIntyre Powder, that were used between 1943 and 1979. The white can pictured here is the original canister, labelled as 5 grams. The next two are labelled as 10 grams. The canister on the far right states: "For silicosis therapy. For use only under doctors direction" (Supplied by Janice Martell)

The founder of the McIntyre Powder project is collecting signatures to petition the government to apologize to miners exposed to aluminum dust.

Janice Martell says an estimated 25,000 Ontario miners were forced to breathe in the fine dust before each shift from 1943 until 1979.

The government of the day supported the so-called McIntyre powder program as a means to prevent silicosis.

That's despite scientists recommending against it as early as 1946.

Martell's father died of Parkinson's, now a recognized occupational disease caused by McIntyre powder exposure.

She says an apology to remaining miners is warranted.

"[The provincial government] is still the custodian now of all the decisions that were made," Martel said. "They've apologized for many other things and wrongs in the past, and this is important to these miners and their families while some of them are still alive to hear it on behalf of those who've already died."

"I think it's just the right thing to do. It's human decency."

Janice Martell of Sudbury, continues to advocate for miners who were exposed to McIntyre Powder while working in northern Ontario mines between 1940s and 1979. The workers were told the dust would protect them, but many have developed health issues later in life. (Supplied/Janice Martell)

Martell said a government acknowledgement would go a long way toward the healing process for families. 

"I know for my own personal healing, having the WSIB acknowledge that my dad's Parkinson's was caused by his McIntyre powder inhalation enabled me to heal around the end of his life," Martell said.

"I think that more broadly, my dad was one miner," she said. "There were at least 25 to 27,000 miners in Ontario that were exposed to this, and all of them deserve an apology."

Sudbury MPP Jamie West has already introduced 63 signatures to the Legislative Assembly in support of an apology.

At Queen's Park on Wednesday, West said no one has ever officially acknowledged or apologized for locking miners in rooms and forcing them to inhale metal or lose their jobs.

"The remaining miners are elderly," West said. "Their health compromised. Many are dying. Many…are already deceased, but all of them, Mr. Speaker, deserve an apology for what happened to them."

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