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Environment committee If not, maybe we can finish it up when you get back. Thanks very much for inviting me to present on behalf of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control. I'm the chair of the National Committee on Environmental and Occupational Exposures, which works under the Canadian Strategy
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee I have a couple of minutes. If I can finish when you're back, that would be just perfect. Thank you.
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee The greater the uncertainty, the more you need to take precautionary measures to address that uncertainty, which seems quite common-sensical to the average person. When you don't know what the problem is, you have to be careful. If you're not certain that there's no problem, you
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee I think what's glaringly obvious in Canada, compared to other jurisdictions—the U.S. and Europe in particular, but also Asia, where Japan might be another example—is a complete lack of focus, in that there has not been a policy decision and a political decision taken to say that
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee May I answer? Thanks for the question. Yes, we should. As we said before, the precautionary principle is a form of risk management; it doesn't mean it only has one form--that you ban something. There are various responses you make within the context of precaution that can range
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee There are. In New York State, I believe they do that. I know that Americans have drinking water legislation where they are required every year. Many of these are private providers. My sister used to live in New York, so I would see her report. Every year you would get a report on
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee How critical is it? I think, as I said before, it's the basis of public policy in public and environmental health. If you don't address it and don't commit to it with respect to very significantly harmful toxins, I don't think you have a foundation at all. I'd say that you can't
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee Absolutely not. We'd be allowing smoking in all sorts of places--for example, in this room. I shouldn't say “sound science”; it's unsound science. It's like Alice in Wonderland, right?
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee Because those who argue that sound science means that we have to have absolute unequivocal evidence, with no contrary evidence, aren't scientists; they're politicians or lobbyists. I work with scientists every day. The people on our committee include, for example, Dr. Paul Demer
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee I'll just jump in really fast here. I would say, in response to the statement that CEPA is fine and that it doesn't need rewording but that we just need to use it, I wouldn't agree with that entirely. As a framework law, there is a lot you can do with it, but there are certain
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee It's not a question of whether one treats it or not; it's how you treat it. What can you treat it with? Chlorine is one option. It has its problems, as you've just said. There are other filtration methods, advanced technologies, in use in the world today that are as effective and
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee That's one example, yes.
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee I'm sorry, I don't have a suggestion for wording right here to give to you. But one thing that I've certainly talked about this afternoon is that one could write that when one applies a precautionary principle to the following compounds or classes of compounds with the following
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman
Environment committee I'll be really quick here. We talked about carcinogens and genotoxics and reproductive toxins, and we would like to see those addressed in a similar fashion to how PBITs are being addressed.
June 5th, 2006Committee meeting
Larry Stoffman