From: Carr, Jody (LEG)
Sent: July 4, 2005 10:18 PM
Subject: - AGENT ORANGE UPDATE - July 4, 2005
Tonight I attended an outreach meeting with Col. Ryan Jestin, Commanding Officer – Base Gagetown at the Sir Douglas Hazen Park Center, Oromocto, NB.
Col. Jestin invited myself and several veterans, including the President of the NB Black Watch Association as a first meeting following the Public Meeting on June 23, 2005 at Base Gagetown where Col. Jestin committed to undertake soil, water, and vegetation testing for dioxide and other chemicals throughout the training areas of Base Gagetown rather than limit the testing to only the plots where Agent Orange and Purple were tested in 1966 and 1967.
The purpose of the meeting tonight was to gather input, on where the samples for the tests should be collected, directly from veterans who were involved or inadvertently affected by the Chemical Spray Program. As we know, 2,4,5 T and 2,4 D were mixed and used throughout the training grounds as a herbicide to defoliate trees and brush as early as 1956. We also know that many veterans and civilians were directly and/or inadvertently exposed to these chemicals. Dosages of the mixtures in the mid-50’s and early 60’s generally contained higher levels of dioxin than mixtures used in the late 60’s and early 70’s.
The testing of samples from the training grounds of Base Gagetown will be conducted this summer by an independent company chosen by open tender. It will also be open ended to allow for more testing later if the need arises. All results will be released to the public.
I want to sincerely thank Col. Ryan Jestin from Base Gagetown for his openness and willingness to work with Veterans and Civilians on this file. I am truly proud of him and the leadership he is displaying. He is more than interested in hearing from anyone else who might know of specific locations and sites that should be included in the testing. If you would like to share with him specific locations please contact me, I will either pass along the information or put you in direct contact with Col. Jestin (your preference).
Again, simply put, the Federal Government has acknowledged compensation for one veteran exposed to Agent Orange at Base Gagetown ( 2 others were for exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam), they have a moral and ethical obligation to provide and gather information through an open/independent process that will lead to the compensation of all people directly affected, veterans and civilians, from exposure to highly toxic chemicals used as part of the chemical spray program at Base Gagetown.
A communications center for civilians and veterans has been established at Base Gagetown in the Canex Mall. The toll-free number is 1-866-558-2945. Please call or drop in to give information regarding chemical exposure and/or receive information regarding the initiation of a claim.
Grace Getty, a nursing professor at UNB Fredericton, is proceeding with a proposal to undertake a health assessment of the communities surrounding Base Gagetown. The first phase will indicate the incidence of cancer and other illness in this area compared to other areas of NB.
It is expected the Federal Government will announce very soon its response to the public reaction to the Chemical Spray Program at Base Gagetown and the affects on Veterans and Civilians.
Today I attended the funeral for Murray MaGee. He was interviewed by Don Dickson on CBC TV recently. He was a private contractor who worked cutting wood on Base and claimed his illnesses (and those of his brothers) were a result of exposure to chemical spray at Base Gagetown. He will be sadly missed. He asked that his memory live on with the Agent Orange issue. I told his wife Abby that I would keep working on this issue until is gets resolved and all people directly affected, veterans and civilians, have been compensated by the federal government.
Thank you everyone for being in touch.
MLA, Oromocto Gagetown
357-3407 (t)
357-7101 (f)
www.jodycarr.ca
4 comments:
Good idea to speak up about Agent Orange which happened some 40+ years ago. The problem is still current as there are still victims around. It is inexcusable what was done.
Mr. Carr must also speak up with equal passion about Ritalin, a chemical which hurts many when used indiscriminately. It has the potential of being as deadly as Agent Orange given the dependence on the drug and then leading to further drug addictions, suicides and other forms of violence. Very current problem.
Then there are VLTs which are destroying lives of individuals and their families. It is quite possible that there are as many victims of VLTs as there are of Agent Orange or more. There is no intention to belittle the horrible Agent Orange and its impact. However there is a need to highlight VLT problem too and not sidestepped and pushed under the rug the way Mr. Lord and Mr. Volpe have done so far.
Ritalin, VLTs deserve equal attention too. If Mr. Carr does not speak about that then it simply means that he is trying to capture national attention as Agent Orange is receiving national coverage currently. Show some guts and backbone when it comes to Ritalin and VLTs. Don’t use the excuse that it is not a problem in your ridding. Probably it is.
NB Telegraph-Journal | E-Brief
As published on page A1/A2 on July 6, 2005
Independent company to do tests at Gagetown for Agent Orange
Military promises to make findings public
Carr
BY KATHY KAUFIELD
Telegraph-Journal
In a move that will help allay fears of a military whitewash, CFB Gagetown officials will hire an independent company to test its training grounds this summer for toxic dioxins, says a government MLA.
Oromocto-Gagetown MLA Jody Carr said Tuesday that Base Gagetown Commanding Officer Col. Ryan Jestin confirmed during a private meeting that testing to be conducted this summer on soil, water and vegetation will be done by an independent company, hired through open tender and mandated to release the results publicly.
Mr. Carr said the decision will come as welcome news to many in the community who have expressed concerns to him that planned testing of the training grounds may end up being biased or inaccurate if handled by the federal government or the military.
"The concern was that all of the information wasn't either going to be released or that the testing was done in a biased way or wasn't done objectively or there was maybe a hidden agenda or government was trying to cover it up," Mr. Carr said.
He said the decision by base officials to hire an independent company to do the testing will give those concerned more confidence in the results.
(File/Telegraph-Journal)
John Chisholm, who worked as a marker during spraying at CFB Gagetown in 1956, confronts the panel at a public information meeting held June 23 to discuss the testing of Agent Orange and Agent Purple in 1966-67 at the base. Mr. Chisholm was one of more than 200 people who attended the meeting.
"It seems to me that they (base officials) want to take every measure to just add that level of confidence to Canadians that this is accurate information, it wasn't a whitewash," he said.
Mr. Carr said Col. Jestin made the commitment Monday night during a private meeting with him, representatives of the provincial legion and the president of the New Brunswick Black Watch Association, a group made of up members of a unit who served at Base Gagetown.
Base officials invited the veterans to the meeting to help them pinpoint areas for testing.
Former soldiers and community members are raising concerns about chemical spraying, including the use of Agent Orange, at the base in the 1950s and 1960s.
Agent Orange, a defoliant tested by the U.S. military at CFB Gagetown in 1966 and 1967, was contaminated with 2,3,7,8-TCDD, one of the most toxic dioxins known.
The chemical has been linked to cancers, immune system deficiencies, birth defects, low intelligence in children, and emotional problems.
More than 200 people attended an Agent Orange public briefing in CFB Gagetown on June 23.
Many complained their health had been affected by the chemical.
After former soldiers complained publicly about being ordered to bury tools and equipment they used during manoeuvres at the time Agent Orange and other substances were sprayed, base officials decided to meet with veterans to find out directly from them where equipment was buried and where any spraying was done.
Lieut. Martell Thompson, public relations officer at CFB Gagetown, said Tuesday he can't speak for the base commander but said, "I can tell you unequivocally that the intent is to see that this testing is done by an independent agency."
He said base officials gathered valuable information from the veterans at the meeting that will serve as an important starting point for the upcoming testing.
"The information that they passed on to us will definitely enhance our investigation," he said.
Mr. Carr said many people are skeptical their concerns will be addressed.
He said they have told him they feel the military and government's response has been minimal in the 20 years since it was revealed Agent Orange was tested at the base.
But he said the decision to conduct testing of the entire training grounds rather than just the specific test plots and the decision to hire an independent company shows him that base officials are "taking responsibility to clear this up after 50 years."
"In my mind, that's very significant because it shows an openness and shows the base commander . . . is also interested in providing an open approach, providing all the information."
Mr. Carr said the base commander invited anyone with information about disposal sites or spraying sites to contact him.
It is good that proper investigation be done for Agent Orange. The issue deserves proper investigation.
Carr did not have to paste the whole story here from Telegraph Journal. Is there not a copyright issue here? People can read the paper. It looks he is desperate for publicity and he is quite an opportunist in this case. Just like his leader Bernard Lord.
What about Lord government whitewashing many issues including Orimulsion. Why Carr is so silent in that case? People are hurting throughout the province because of higher power rates. People are hurting because of VLT’s, abuse of Ritalin, deteriorating healthcare in the province. Where is Mr. Carr on those issues and many other issues? We cannot reverse the tragedy of Agent Orange is it happened 40 years ago. But we can do something about VLTs, Ritalin and many other issues before more people are hurt. Why is he silent on LNG? Step up Mr. Carr.
intresting stuff.
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