Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by numerous folks across this country about banning asbestos.
In my earlier career I had the opportunity to represent the widow of a member of my union who had died of mesothelioma. His disease was caused by and attributed to asbestos in the workplace. We won that claim, but the gentleman had been dead for nine years. It took four years subsequent to his death to actually win that claim.
For the workers around the world who are exposed to asbestos, the petitioners are saying, “Let us ban it”. What they are also saying is that they understand the hardship the workers who are actually in the asbestos business and who are mining asbestos will face. We need a just transition for them, as well.
I present this petition on behalf of not only those workers who have had mesothelioma and have it today, but also for those who have passed and for those workers who are working in that industry who indeed deserve to have a just transition from what they do now to their next career.