SSV in asbestos demo

Demonstraters ask 'Are our dead not enough?'

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Widows and widowers of asbestos cancer victims protested outside the Canadian High Commission and Quebec Government offices on Thursday (9 December 2010).

Concern has been raised about plans for the Canadian and Quebec governments to financially bail out the last remaining mine in Canada.

This is a hugely controversial issue in Canada because of the millions of tax dollars involved to support about 200 jobs in an industry whose products are shunned in the western economies but are aggressively promoted to the developing world.    

Historically, Rochdale has played a key role in this matter. In the 1870s the Spodden Valley Turner Brothers site was the first major industrial customers of Canadian asbestos and processed it continuously for almost 130 years - a world record.

Save Spodden Valley Campaigner, Jason Addy, said: “Unfortunately we hold other world records as a result of our close connection with Canadian asbestos - the world's first recognised asbestosis death - Nellie Kershaw in 1924. Internal T&N memos recognised the first death from the cancer mesothelioma was in 1936 - Turner Brothers weaver William Pennington who once lived in Rooley Street.

“Rochdale has paid its bitter price of asbestos disease - there is an important fight to ensure that future generations in the developing world are not harmed by what remains of a dying industry peddling its killer dust.    

“It is fitting that the Memorial Gardens opposite Rochdale Town Hall is the site of the world's first international asbestos memorial.

“Simon Danczuk MP has written to the Canadian Prime Minister and has been involved in asking a series of questions via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the continued use of asbestos in the developing world. He joined a delegation of MPs from the All Party asbestos subcommittee to Downing Street.”