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Percy Barrett, Opposition Environment Critic and MHA for the District of
Bellevue, is calling on government to provide a status report on the
investigation which is being conducted in relation to the possible use of
Agent Orange or its commercial derivatives in this province. "I am calling
on Environment Minister Tom Osborne to be open and transparent, and release
the details of the Agent Orange investigation," said Mr. Barrett. "If there
is any available information, the public should be advised immediately. I
understand such an investigation could take a period of time to complete,
but I am concerned that the minister has not provided an update on this
issue or set a date for when the report will be released. There are people
in this province who have health concerns, and are questioning whether these
problems might be linked to the use of commercial derivatives of Agent
Orange. The Minister has a responsibility to these people to deal with this
issue in a comprehensive and timely manner."
Barrett raised concerns about the possible use of dangerous chemicals in
this province last year and called on the minister to conduct a complete
investigation. While the minister agreed to conduct an investigation, he has
not released any of the terms of reference or any report since that time.
Last October Barrett provided Minister Osborne with information
indicating that defoliants had been used in many locations around the
province before 1980. One newspaper article indicated that 2,4,5,T, a
component of the defoliant Agent Orange, had been sprayed on 61 hectares of
land in central Newfoundland. Another article indicated that spraying was
done between Deer Lake and Pasadena. There was also information that
indicated other chemicals such as Dybar and Tordon 10K have been used in
this province. Since discussion began on this issue, other people have come
forward to indicate that herbicides may have been used along the rail bed
and in other locations as well.
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