July 10, 2006

Environmental Defence basks in successful PR campaign

Simon Doyle

The Hill Times

Rick Smith , director of Environmental Defence, an environmental advocacy group in Toronto, said he “likes to think” that the organization’s campaign against harmful toxic agents had an impact on the government’s recent decision to ban two of them.

Environment Minister Rona Ambrose and Health Minister Tony Clement published a notice in the Canada Gazette on July 1, which orders a ban on brominated flame retardants and a chemical associated with stain repellants.

The chemicals, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) can be found in a number of consumer products and are linked to serious health conditions, will be listed as toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

Environmental Defence has been waging a campaign to see the substances banned. Over the last two years, it has released two studies that tested Canadians for a number of toxic agents, which successfully brought public attention to the issue of harmful toxic agents that people come into contact with unknowingly.

When asked if he thought the tests were very effective, Mr. Smith said: “I like to think so. It certainly was big
news.” Environmental Defence had also hired the services of Tim Powers , a Conservative lobbyist at Summa Strategies Canada, to help take their case to the government.

Mr. Smith said he had one brief discussion with Minister Ambrose about the issue but mostly talked with her
staff about it.

“We made it clear that this would be a good place to start. Brominated flame retardants have been called the
new PCBs. They are ubiquitous and are in many products in our homes,”

Mr. Smith said. “A colleague of mine yesterday said that she always feels a bit of a sense of surprise when these things actually happen, because you push, push, push and they finally happen. And then you say, ‘Well, what was the big deal in the first place?’”

Ms. Ambrose, Mr. Clement, and NDP Leader Jack Layton have agreed to be tested for toxic agents, which
Dr. Smith said he hopes to release in a report in the fall. He said he is also seeking the participation of Liberal eader Bill Graham and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe, who have yet to respond.