Health Committee on April 27th, 2010

[Dr. Magda Havas]

Thank you for asking.

I was contacted by a woman in that apartment who asked me to do some measurements. I went there. She told me that Industry Canada was also going to be doing some measurements. I asked her to make certain that Industry Canada provided her with real numbers rather than with a percentage of Safety Code 6.

The people who live on the top floor of that apartment--it's the 8th floor--are immediately underneath antennas. They are so close that they can take a broom and touch the antennas with a broom handle. We did measurements, and when Industry Canada went a week later to do the measurements, I was called while they were there. I was told that one of the providers, Bell Mobility, had actually disconnected the antennas. They weren't operational for the Industry Canada readings. They were operational for my readings, because we got the highest levels immediately under the antennas.

When I compare the two values--the values Industry Canada documented and the values I had--they were perfectly linear. There was a perfect correlation based on where we took them. Industry Canada's values were one-fifth of my values, which having the antennas turned off would account for.

The people on that top floor are now very ill. One family has moved out. Another one is taking legal action against the landlord, and the third family is thinking of taking legal action as well, because they've all become ill. The antennas went up in December, and by February, some of the people couldn't live there anymore because of their response to the electromagnetic microwave radiation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you, Dr. Havas.

Dr. Carrie.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I want to thank the witnesses for being here today.

As a father of three kids, we've recently updated to the family plan, because we utilize a lot of these products in our family. I realize that EMF is everywhere. It's this microphone, buildings, our toasters, our TV, and I guess the greatest source is actually from the sun.

I'm wondering if there are any sources that we as a committee could direct Canadians to, if they have questions about exposure to microwave radiation.

Do you, Monsieur Lord, have something from industry that we could direct Canadians to; or perhaps you, Madam Pieterson, from Health Canada; or even you, Mr. Rowley, over there in Ireland? Are there perhaps different websites or sources that we could direct Canadians to with their questions?

[Beth Pieterson]

I will start.

Health Canada has a number of publications on our website geared to the public. We have several articles in our “It's Your Health” section. Let me just read them. We have one on safety of cellphones and cellphone towers, another one on electric and magnetic fields at low frequency, and one on radiation safety of microwave ovens and electromagnetic hypersensitivity. As well, Safety Code 6 is available there if you're interested in the technical details. Industry Canada also has lots of technical and non-technical information about Safety Code 6, their regulations, and how they apply.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Thank you.

Monsieur Lord, does the industry have fact sheets or websites?

[Bernard Lord]

We recommend that people visit the Health Canada website. New information is updated there on a regular basis.

As a father of two myself, I think it's important for parents to inform themselves to make sure they make the right decisions for themselves. Most parents will tell you that they feel safer knowing their children have mobile devices with them rather than not.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Rowley, are there websites or international sources that we could direct Canadians to?

[Dr. Jack Rowley]

There certainly are. Thank you for that question.

The World Health Organization has a dedicated unit following this topic, and you will find on their web page a series of fact sheets addressing the main topics related to these issues. Also, because we recognize that it is a global issue, we've recorded more than 100 reviews and statements by expert groups on the topic of radio frequency safety since the middle 1970s. On the GSM Association website we list that extensive resource so people can go there. They can see the reviews by expert and independent scientific committees. I'd be happy to provide the web links to the committee.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Thank you very much. It would be great if you could provide that.

While we have you there, Dr. Rowley--

[Dr. Magda Havas]

May I provide information on websites as well?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Dr. Havas, thank you for interceding. I can't see you physically, so please, when you want to make a comment, please intercede.

Go ahead.

[Dr. Magda Havas]

I have three websites to recommend. One is www.microwavenews.com; this is a very authoritative document from the United States that keeps abreast of all the developments in this area. The other two are Canadian. One is www.weepinitiative.ca. The other is www.rewire.me, and that's the ElectroSensitive Society, which has just started to help people suffering from this illness.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Thank you very much.

To Dr. Rowley, and perhaps Health Canada, how do the limits proposed in the BioInitiative Report compare to the limits of Safety Code 6 and other international guidelines?

[Dr. Jack Rowley]

The limits are typically between 1,000 and 10,000 times more restrictive than the limits proposed in the international safety recommendations. They have their origins in a small study in Austria, which is not supported by any independent scientific confirmation. They were originally adopted as a local policy in the city of Salzburg, Austria.

Measurements done for the Swiss regulator confirmed that you cannot build a mobile network and provide wireless services at the limits recommended in the BioInitiative Report. About 50% of locations were above the limits in the BioInitiative Report and 50% of limits were below that. You cannot operate a mobile network and comply with those limits.

As other speakers have noted, and expert groups representing from the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, and the U.K. have all concluded, those limits are not based on scientific evidence of public health. They do not provide any additional public health protection. What they do is reinforce people's concern, and that is in and of itself a health risk that needs to be addressed.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Are you able to comment about the authors of the BioInitiative Report? Do they represent any authoritative international body? Who do they represent?

[Dr. Jack Rowley]

The report makes it clear that it's a collection of chapters written by individual scientists who are expressing their personal assessment of the science on a range of topics. The summary chapter was written by a consultant from California who specializes in offering services to reduce exposure in people's homes. It's not a synthesis scientific committee expert group report.

[Dr. Magda Havas]

May I comment on that as well?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Yes, please go ahead.

[Dr. Magda Havas]

The BioInitiative Report is only one of a number of reports, resolutions, and appeals that have come out. It started with Salzburg in 2000. Then there was a report in Italy, the Catania Resolution, in 2002; the Freiburger Appeal, from German physicians, in 2002; the Irish Doctors Environmental Association, in 2005; the Helsinki Appeal 2005, in Finland; and there were two Italian ones: the Benevento Resolution and the Venice Appeal.

The most recent one was the Porto Alegre Resolution, in Brazil. I'd like to read something very briefly from what this resolution states, that--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

I'm sorry, Dr. Havas, the time is up. I would like you, if you could, to submit your documentation to our committee, because you have so much interesting information. Could you do that?

We'll now go into our five-minute rounds.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

I gave up some of my time earlier.

Would the witnesses, Monsieur Lord and the witness from Health Canada, also be able to submit--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Absolutely.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

--anything else they have to add, perhaps, about the authors of the BioInitiative Report?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Could you please submit that to us, as well?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Or if you get a chance to speak later on.