Agent Orange Alert!

Connie Fogal, Leader of the Canadian Action Party, urges national support for this initiative and said, "We join their call for such an inquiry. Complete disclosure and accountability is required immediately." “Furthermore”, continued Ms Fogal, “in the event that long term health damage has occurred, as seems likely, the survivors must be fully compensated. The estates of deceased victims should be compensated fully for loss of future earnings due to premature death.” “Those responsible for committing or permitting these acts (which are as horrific as any act of terrorism) must be made to account. It is absolutely unacceptable and outrageous that our government has subjected our people to this exposure and failed to deal with it to date.” On the reports indicating the Canadian Government is shifting the blame to the U.S. government, Fogal is not surprised. She said, “ So ironical that our government would blame the U.S.A.(which may be culpable). You can’t sleep with snakes and not expect to get bitten! The U.S. has a tragic record of denial of social services including medical treatment of servicemen and War Vets. Is that the lead Canada desires to follow? ” Vice President Catherine Whelan Costen, agrees with Fogal. “The Department of National Defence had a responsibility to notify every person that could have been affected as soon as they knew of the threat to their health.” She added, “There are many questions about who is responsible for its use, and why it was used for so many years? If our own government could allow this to happen to those who were willing to put their lives on the line for Canada, what hope do the rest of Canadians have for safe regulations in product approvals in food, drugs, or agriculture chemicals? It is paramount that this be investigated by external independent scientists, so as to ensure the public receives all the information and no suspicion of cover up!” Ms Whelan Costen, is an outspoken critic of our government’s ‘Smart Regulations’ plan which ties Canada’s Health regulators as well as food and drugs to the U.S and Mexico. She explains, “The devil is always in the details. Our government promotes ‘Smart Regulation’ as 'a government-wide initiative aimed at improving the Government of Canada’s regulatory performance in many areas … and (especially)the conditions for an innovative economy.’ But that is a great deception.. 'Smart regulations' is another national dismantling process that will require Canada to be subjected to the US rules rather than applying our own rigorous research and analysis. It is another gross example of current 'double speak' which aim is to pretend one thing but create the opposite effect. The past actions documented by the victims of Agent Orange are indicative of the need for reform of the practices and an end to deception. We need systems in place which remove all suspicion of undue influence on products used in our environment. If that had been in place, this catastrophe might have been prevented. The 'smart regulations' will exacerbate the victimization. The real agenda of Smart Regulations is to prevent conflict and contradiction with the rules of the WTO or NAFTA. Safety factors for the consumers are not the focus. Only 'free trade' is." Ms. Fogal adds, "By definition the words 'free trade' mean that all transactions must be completely free of any restrictions that could impede profit for the shareholders of corporations. Corporations have no conscience. Their legally defined duty is profit. Nothing else. Not safety, not health, not environment, not peace. By contrast, the duty of a democratic government has everything to do with safety, health, environment, peace. It is more than time that our government is brought back to the realization that it is there to ensure pharmaceutical and chemical companies serve the interest of Canadians, not that the government is there to serve the interest of the corporations. Ms Whelan Costen illustrates the failure of Ms McLellan, our Deputy PM, to understand her full duty to Canadians by her own words, ‘If they test something in the U.S. and it's safe, why should we duplicate the test here?’ Whelan Costen asks "Who defines safe?" She demands action now. “In light of CFB Gagetown’s shocking revelations," she points out, "‘Smart Regulations’ do not appear so, ‘Smart’. Canada must do better. A full and complete inquiry, with appropriate compensation is warranted immediately! Some of these victims do not have much time left. Expediency is critical.” -30- Contact Connie Fogal (604) 872 2128; Catherine Whelan Costen (403) 684 3514 Canadian Action Party/ Parti Action Canadienne Leader, Constance (Connie) Fogal Telephone (604) 872 2128 home; Fax: (604) 872 1504 E-mail: conniefogal@telus.net Head Office #385- 916 West Broadway, Vancouver B.C. V5Z1K7 Tel: (604) 708-3372;Fax: (604) 872 1504; e- mail: info@canadianactionparty.ca www.canadianactionparty.ca

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