hzeizbwzg...of lengthy space travel on the human body. lengthy space travel may well be the future...

September 2009

News in ReviewResource GuideSeptember 2009

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CreditsResource Guide Writers: Diane Ballantyne, Sean Dolan, Peter Flaherty, Jim L’AbbéCopy Editor and Desktop Publisher: Susan RosenthalResource Guide Graphics: Laraine Bone Production Assistant: Carolyn McCarthyResource Guide Editor: Jill ColyerSupervising Manager: Karen BowerHost: Carla RobinsonSenior Producer: Nigel GibsonProducer: Lou Kovacs Video Writers: Nigel GibsonDirector: Ian CooperGraphic Artist: Mark W. HarveyEditor: Stanley Iwanski

News in Review, September 20091. Two Canadians Meet in Space (Length: 15:22)2. Canada and the Swine Flu (Length: 14:54)3. Iran’s Summer of Discontent (Length: 13:50)4. Asbestos: Canada’s Ugly Secret (Length: 12:47)

CBC News in Review • September 2009 • Page 3

ContentsIn This Issue . . . ......................................................................................... 4

TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACE ......................................... 6Introduction ..............................................................................................................6Video Review ...........................................................................................................7Canada’s Space Program ..........................................................................................9Julie Payette ...........................................................................................................11Expedition 20/21 ....................................................................................................13Future of Space Exploration ..................................................................................15Activity: Reconsidering Canada’s Role .................................................................17

CANADA AND THE SWINE FLU .............................................. 18Introduction ............................................................................................................18Viewing Guide .......................................................................................................19H1N1 Virus: An FAQ Sheet ...................................................................................21Canada’s Pandemic Preparedness ..........................................................................23First Nations Communities ....................................................................................25The “Spanish Lady”: The Flu Pandemic of 1918 ..................................................27Activity: You Decide ..............................................................................................29

IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENT ........................................ 30Introduction ............................................................................................................30Video Review .........................................................................................................31Election Outrage ....................................................................................................33Iran: The View from the West ................................................................................35Youth Revolution ...................................................................................................37The Governments of Canada and Iran ...................................................................39Activity: Driven to Protest .....................................................................................40

ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRET ................................... 41Introduction ............................................................................................................41Video Review .........................................................................................................42History of Asbestos ...............................................................................................44The Safety Debate ..................................................................................................46Asbestos by the Numbers .......................................................................................48International Asbestos Sales Controversy ..............................................................50Activity: Should Canada stop selling asbestos? .....................................................53

News in Review Index ............................................................................ 54


NiR Study ModulesUsing print and video material from archival issues of News in Review, teachers and students can create thematic modules for independent assignments, and small group study.

NiR Study ModulesA Canadian Rides the Shuttle into Space

October 2006Next Floor Mars? The Space Elevator

April 2004Mars Invasion: Exploring the Red Planet

March 2004Shuttle Columbia: Disaster in the Skies

April 2003Mars: Exploring the Red Planet, April 2002

Related CBC VideosAsteroid: The Doomsday RockProject X: FlightHistory of Science in Canada: The Space

Age: Aeronautics & TelecommunicationsLost in Space

CANADA AND THE SWINE FLU (Length: 14:54)As the swine flu continues to spread around the world, Canada’s health-care system is stepping up its pandemic preparations. The H1N1 virus first arrived in Canada in the spring, and health authorities are expecting many more cases this winter. In this News in Review story we’ll look at what we know about the virus and how it’s affecting Canadians.

Related CBC VideosOther videos available from CBC Learning; see the back cover for contact details.

TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACE (Length: 15:22)In July, Canadian astronaut Julie Payette rocketed into space and made history. When she met her colleague Robert Thirsk on board the International Space Station, it was the first time two Canadians had been in space at once. In this News in Review story we’ll look at the mission that brought the two astronauts together and examine Canada’s role in space.

In This Issue . . .

NiR Study ModulesAvian Flu: Preparing for a Pandemic

January 2006

Related CBC VideosAntibiotics: Growing ResistanceBlack Dawn: The Next PandemicDead Heat: The Race to Find a Cure for

InfluenzaFood Borne Diseases


Sections marked with this symbol contain content suitable for younger viewers.

IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENT (Length: 13:50)In early August Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in as President of Iran, after weeks of sometimes bloody unrest. Ahmadinejad was elected in June, but his opponents said the vote had been rigged and took to the streets in protest. At least 30 people were killed and hundreds were arrested. In this News in Review story we’ll look at the controversial election and at the mass demonstrations that followed.

NiR Study ModulesIran Seizes British Sailors, May 2007City of Death: Iran’s Killer Quake

February 2004Iran: The Winds of Change, May 2000

ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRET (Length: 12:47)Asbestos is a mineral that was once widely used in the construction industry. Canada produces about 10 per cent of the world’s supply, but because it can cause severe lung problems its use in this country is limited. Instead most of it is shipped to developing countries. In this News in Review story we’ll look at how those sales are helping a dying industry in Canada but sickening and killing workers in countries like India.

Related CBC VideosCell Phones: The Ring Heard Around the

WorldGreen Sweep: Transforming our Trash

Related CBC VideosIran’s Young RebelsBeyond the VeilNuclear Jihad: Can the Terrorists Get the

Bomb

NiR Study ModulesElectronic Waste and China

December 2008


FocusAn extraordinary event in Canadian space history took place in July 2009 when two Canadians were in Earth orbit at the same time. This News in Review story looks at the work of the Canadian Space Agency, the two history-making astronauts, and recent developments and possible future programs in space exploration.

Did you know . . .A list and description of every experiment conducted on the ISS is available from NASA at www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/science/experiments/Expedition.html.

TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACE IntroductionThe important role that Canada has played in the history of space exploration is one that few Canadians appreciate. Many are really only aware of two contributions. The first of these is the Canadarm, that long crane we see sticking out of every space shuttle, waving some large piece of shuttle freight at its end. The second contribution is our astronauts. We may not have a lot of astronauts, but they have played an important role in the exploration of space.

Canada has made other major contributions to space exploration. One of these is in the area of robotics. Canada has created some of the most useful tools available in space. Canada is also a leader in satellite technology as a developer of advanced communication satellites and Earth-observation satellites.

Canadian astronauts tend to receive more attention than do our other contributions to space exploration. Our astronauts are the people with “the right stuff.” In July, two of them—Julie Payette and Bob Thirsk—were the first Canadians to meet in space. For each of these astronauts, it was their second visit to space. This time, they met at the International Space Station, the premier location for low-gravity experimentation.

Payette had been to the International Space Station before. In fact, she was one of the group of astronauts who first “turned on the lights” at the station,

making it ready for its first full-time resident scientists. On this second visit she was to continue construction on the almost-completed station. Payette’s mission will be one of the last of the shuttle flights, as the shuttle program is scheduled to end in 2010.

Bob Thirsk had also flown on a shuttle mission before. This time, however, he reached the space station in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Thirsk is the first Canadian to make an extended stay on the station. He will be there for six months, during which time he will perform more than 100 experiments. Many of these will deal with the effects of lengthy space travel on the human body.

Lengthy space travel may well be the future of space exploration. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has plans for manned flights to the moon by 2020 and a manned flight to Mars, perhaps as soon as 2035. Economic conditions may slow these plans but they are unlikely to end them.

Canada, too, is demonstrating continued interest in space exploration. In 2009, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) was given extra money to increase its research and development program in robotics. And in May, two new astronauts were selected to carry on the proud tradition of Canadians in space.

To ConsiderAre young people interested in space exploration? Did you and any of your friends talk about the Canadians who went into space in 2009? If you didn’t talk about it, why not? Should there be more media coverage of space missions, or do you think there is already enough?

Download the mp3 of this Introduction at newsinreview.cbclearning.ca


Did you know . . .Every space shuttle flight is numbered sequentially. Julie Payette has been on the 96th and 127th flight. The same is true of Soyuz flights to the International Space Station (ISS) when astronauts remain on board the ISS and perform experiments. Bob Thirsk flew to the ISS on Expedition 20 and will remain on the station during Expedition 21 for a total of six months in space.

TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACEVideo Review

Pre-Viewing DiscussionDuring the course of the video, you will be introduced to two Canadians who are truly enthusiastic about their opportunities to go into space. What aspects of space travel do you think would lead to this enthusiasm? What things might make you want to be part of a space mission?

Viewing QuestionsAnswer the following questions in the spaces provided.

1. What great event in the history of space exploration was celebrated in 2009?

2. How long will Bob Thirsk spend on the International Space Station?

3. Who was the first Canadian to board the International Space Station?

4. How does NASA prepare astronauts for their missions?

5. In her interview, what does Julie Payette describe as critical for her on her current mission?

6. Why was the shuttle fleet grounded in 2003?

7. When is the shuttle program expected to end?

8. How long ago was Julie Payette’s last visit to the International Space Station?


9. Why did the shuttle do a back flip as it first approached the International Space Station?

10. What country built the platform for the experiments installed by the shuttle astronauts?

11. How long will the International Space Station remain in orbit?

Post-Viewing Discussion 1. Based on what you have seen on the video, what type of mission would

appeal most to you as an astronaut? Would it be Julie Payette’s 14-day flight to supply and continue construction of the International Space Station? Or would you prefer Bob Thirsk’s six-month assignment as a resident scientist performing a variety of experiments? Why?

2. Construction on the International Space Station began in 1998 and is scheduled to be completed by 2011. It has been staffed, and experiments have taken place there, since 2000. The station may be decommissioned as early as 2015. Do you think that 16 years of experimentation, only four or five of which will take place when the station is complete, are worth the time and effort involved in the project? Why or why not?


Further ResearchThe CSA Web site is at www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/default.asp.

TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACECanada’s Space ProgramAs of 2009, eight Canadian astronauts have journeyed into space. Beginning with Marc Garneau in 1984, Canadians have been part of 14 shuttle missions. Many of these missions have been part of the effort to build the International Space Station (ISS). Now that the ISS is able to house its full complement of six researchers, Bob Thirsk is in residence and will be the first Canadian to spend six months in space.

There was much news coverage of the fact that Thirsk and Payette would meet in space. But our astronauts’ participation in space missions is only one small part of Canada’s space program.

The Canadian Space Agency The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which reports to Canada’s Minister of Industry, is the government department that directs most of Canada’s efforts in space research. Established in 1989 by the Canadian Space Agency Act, its mandate is “To promote the peaceful use and development of space, to advance the knowledge of space through science and to ensure that space science and technology provide social and economic benefits for Canadians” (www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/about/mission.asp).

AstronautsOne CSA responsibility is Canada’s astronaut development program. Through the National Research Council, Canada established a permanent astronaut corps in 1983 to conduct Canadian experiments in space. Bob Thirsk was hired in the first competition, when over 4 000 applications were received for the six available positions.

A second hiring was announced in 1992. Over 5 000 Canadians applied, and

four new astronauts were added to the corps. One of these was Julie Payette. In 2009, retirements led to a new call for applicants for the astronaut corps, and in May of that same year two new positions were filled. The successful applicants were Jeremy Hansen, a fighter pilot, and David Saint-Jacques, a medical doctor. They began training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in August. There were 5 351 applicants for the jobs.

Canada expects that a Canadian astronaut will be part of the research staff on the ISS once every three years.

SatellitesThe CSA’s satellite program has likely had the biggest impact on the lives of most Canadians. These include the development of:• science satellites that research Earth’s

atmosphere and the farthest reaches of space

• communications satellites that keep remote communities in touch with the more heavily populated parts of Canada

• Earth-observation satellites that help us monitor the environment and our natural resourcesIn December 2007, Canada launched

its most impressive satellite to date: Radarsat-2. The CSA helped fund its construction and launch, but the satellite is privately owned and operated. The CSA will recover its investment through the supply of data to the government. The satellite will provide data for hundreds of projects that monitor the environment across Canada and around the world. It can provide sharp detail through both clouds and the night sky.

Further ResearchLearn more about Canada’s newest astronauts at www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/05/13/new-canadian-astronauts-.html.

Further ResearchRead more about Canada’s satellites at www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/default.asp.


RoboticsEqually significant has been Canada’s contribution to the use of robotics in space. In 1975 the (U.S.) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) asked Canada to design and build a Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS). This was to be used to handle large payloads in space. Canada would assume the cost of developing the hardware, which would be used on the shuttle Columbia. Its success would result in the purchase of three more SRMSs from Toronto’s Spar Aerospace, the main contractor. The result was the Canadarm, which is now prominent on

video of every shuttle mission. The Canadarm was such a success that

Canada was asked to design and build a second arm specifically for the ISS. It is designed to remain permanently with the space station and can travel the entire length of the station to complete its tasks.

Recently added to the ISS was a helpful Canadian robot named Dextre. Dextre is designed to remove and replace small components—which require very careful handling—on the outside of the space station. Scientists expect Dextre to greatly reduce the number of space walks by ISS researchers.

DefinitionThe payload is the carrying capacity of an aircraft or space ship, including cargo, munitions, scientific instruments or experiments.

Further ResearchThe Canadarm and Canadarm2 story is at www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/canadarm/default.asp.

For DiscussionThe CSA often makes the case that the space research it has sponsored has real application here on Earth. It is easy to demonstrate the value of the CSA’s work with satellites. Can you think of ways in which the research resulting in the two Canadarms and Dextre might lead to new breakthroughs here on Earth?


TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACEJulie PayetteJulie Payette is an extraordinary person.

Born in 1963, Payette is a native of Montreal, where she attended both elementary and secondary school. She holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from McGill University. She also earned a master of applied science degree in computer engineering from the University of Toronto. Before she became an astronaut, Payette worked in computer research and systems engineering in both the public and private sectors.

The Canadian Space Agency lists the following information in Payette’s personal profile: “. . . Ms. Payette enjoys running, skiing, racquet sports and scuba diving. She has a commercial pilot licence with float rating. Ms. Payette is fluent in French and English, and can converse in Spanish, Italian, Russian and German. She plays the piano and has sung with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Piacere Vocale in Basel, Switzerland, and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra in Toronto. She is married and has two children.”

In 1992, Payette was one of 5 330 applicants to the Canadian astronaut program. She was one of four who were selected for training, and the second woman selected (Canada’s first female astronaut was Roberta Bondar).

After her initial Canadian training, Payette’s computer expertise resulted in her being selected as the technical advisor for the Mobile Servicing System, a robotics system developed by Canada for the International Space Station (ISS).

In August 1996, Payette began her astronaut training with NASA in Houston. She completed her basic training in 1998 and then worked on robotics issues until her first shuttle mission.

STS-96Julie Payette’s first shuttle mission was STS-96. The mission lasted from May 27 to June 9, 1999. This mission was the first time that a shuttle manually docked at the ISS (it was unoccupied at the time). The shuttle also delivered more than 3.5 tonnes of supplies to the ISS.

Before the flight, Payette described her job as that of a construction worker (www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/sts-096/responsibilities.asp). She had a lengthy list of responsibilities, including performing any necessary repairs to the ISS, supervising the installation and storage of new equipment, and operating the Canadarm on three different occasions.

STS-96 was an especially important mission because it readied the ISS for its first resident crew. It was the last shuttle flight before an American and two Russians arrived via Soyuz spacecraft on November 2, 2000. The ISS has been occupied ever since.

Following the completion of her first mission, Payette served as the representative of the NASA astronaut corps at the European and Russian space agencies. From 2003, she has worked as a Spacecraft Communicator and has been responsible for communications between the ground controllers and astronauts during shuttle flights.

STS-127Payette has had the rare experience of seeing the ISS just before it opened and again almost at its completion.

Space shuttle flights are due to be retired in 2010, and her most recent mission—named STS-127—was one of the last major construction flights to the ISS. Its main cargo consisted of

Further ResearchLearn more about Julie Payette at www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/biopayette.asp.

NoteA CBC feature about Payette’s first shuttle mission is available at archives.cbc.ca/science_technology/space/clips/16827/.


the final components needed for Kibo, an experimental module contributed by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency. The shuttle also carried a full load of supplies and experiments for the six scientists now residing at the ISS. Among these was a Canadian, Bob Thirsk. Payette and Thirsk were the first two Canadians to be in space at the same time.

Payette’s work was critical to the success of this mission. As a robotics specialist, she operated three different robot arms during the completion of Kibo and the installation of its first experiments. Much of the construction

required payload items to be removed from the shuttle’s hold and placed inside the ISS. This involved the operation of both the Canadarm and the Canadarm2. Payette also had to operate a third arm—a Japanese-designed arm that is part of Kibo—to install some of the new experiments.

Hand-offs in space are very difficult to execute. In all, Payette performed eight hand-offs from one arm to another—a record.

Payette completed what is expected to be her final shuttle mission on July 31, 2009.

Further Research A series of videos of Julie Payette discussing the STS-127 mission is available at www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/sts-127/videos.asp#clip4.

For Discussion 1. In an editorial on May 27, 1999, The Globe and Mail described Julie Payette

as “massively overqualified” for her job as shuttle astronaut. Here’s what the editorial had to say:

“It’s great, but is it really important? The problem is, some things about her space-faring idyll don’t make sense. First, she is massively overqualified for what she is doing. While it is impressive that she speaks six languages, can fly a plane, has competed in triathlons, sings, holds two engineering degrees and plays the flute and piano, it hardly matters for the tasks at hand.

“She is, as most of the astronauts are, a glorified tradesman-cum-lab-technician. Her main job is unloading a tonne’s worth of material and helping to operate the Canadarm. The reason she has so many qualifications has much more to do with a dearth of astronaut positions than it does with what she must accomplish.”

Do you think that the newspaper’s assessment is a fair one? Does an astronaut really need to have all of the qualifications that Payette possesses? Could her skills be better used in other areas? If you think so, what might those areas be?

2. What are the qualifications that you feel are most important for a Canadian astronaut? Make a list of the top three. Share your list with your classmates and see if there is any consensus on what makes the perfect astronaut candidate.


TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACEExpedition 20/21The International Space Station (ISS) was created as a platform for scientific research. Construction in low-Earth orbit began in 1998 and is expected to be completed in 2011. The first crew entered the station in 2000, and the ISS has been continuously staffed ever since. It will remain in operation at least until 2015 and likely even beyond.

The ISS is a joint project of the space agencies of several countries: the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, and 11 European countries that are part of the European Space Agency. Brazil also participates through a separate contract with NASA.

Canada and the ISSCanada’s major contribution to the ISS is the Mobile Servicing System (MSS), consisting of the Canadarm2, a mobile base system, and Dextre, a robot designed to work in areas on the exterior of the ISS where precise handling of equipment is necessary. Working together, the elements of the MSS will greatly reduce the number of space walks required to repair and replace parts of the space station.

Canada’s reward for its contribution is research time at the station for some of its astronauts. The Canadian Space Agency helps Canadian university and industry researchers develop experiments that can be carried out at the ISS during those times when a Canadian scientist is in residence. Most of these experiments are concentrated in two areas:• robotics, especially as they apply to the

MSS• microgravity and life sciences,

exploring the effects of low gravity on living things

Robert ThirskCanada’s latest scientist on the ISS is Robert “Bob” Thirsk, a medical doctor with a special interest in aeronautics. He also holds degrees in engineering and business administration. Thirsk was born in 1953 in New Westminster, British Columbia. He was one of the first group of astronauts selected by the National Research Council (NRC).

Thirsk decided he wanted to be an astronaut the night he saw the first man walk on the moon—July 20, 1969. He was 15 at the time. That ambition finally became a reality in 1983. The NRC—because of the success of the Canadarm—was asked by NASA to form a Canadian astronaut corps so that Canadians could fly on the shuttle.

Just before Thirsk’s latest space mission, NASA asked him how an engineer/doctor/MBA ended up as an astronaut. Thirsk had this reply: “Well, this is going to sound funny but I simply answered an ad in the newspaper. Canada, during the first recruitment of astronauts, placed an ad in all the major newspapers across Canada saying that they were now starting an astronaut program, they were looking for people with these kinds of qualifications, and I looked at the qualifications that they were looking for. I realized that I had a lot of that, and these dreams that I had of being an astronaut when I followed the careers of John Glenn and Neil Armstrong came flooding back to me. So my application was in the next day. Of course, it was a long period of time, a lot of cuts or a lot of selection steps, before I was finally accepted, but I was very honoured and very fortunate to be part of Canada’s first astronaut corps” (nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/

Further ResearchMore about Bob Thirsk is available at www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/05/22/space-robert-thirsk-space-station-astronaut.html. His official CSA biography is at www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/biothirsk.asp.


expedition20/thirsk_interview.html).Thirsk’s first space flight was in 1996,

on shuttle mission STS-78. On that flight he performed several experiments dealing with the effects of space flight on plants, animals, and humans. He also performed additional experiments in materials science. Many of these experiments helped space agencies to prepare for future work on the ISS. Its construction was planned to begin two years later.

In 2004, Thirsk was asked to be the back-up astronaut on a Russian-Italian expedition to the ISS. It was then that he began the training (in Russia) that led to his participation in Expedition 20/21.

When Thirsk’s 2009 mission began, he became the first Canadian to go into space on a Soyuz spacecraft. His mission took him to a space station that was almost complete and that was able to hold a full six-person team for the first time since construction began. He would be spending six months helping to perform about 100 experiments.

NASA personnel are preparing for a new series of flights to the moon and hope soon to be able to send a manned

spacecraft to Mars. Because of these plans, many of the Expedition 20/21 experiments will study how people adapt to long space flights (many of the experiments arrived on the shuttle flight that also brought Julie Payette to the ISS). One area Thirsk is especially interested in is bone loss, a major problem for astronauts. Thirsk was given many other mission responsibilities. He is the crew’s medical officer. As flight engineer, he is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the ISS. As a robotics expert, it is his job to operate the Canadarm2. He will also be the caretaker for Kibo, the new Japanese science laboratory, as there is currently no Japanese scientist aboard the ISS.

Asked to identify his mission priorities, Thirsk listed two. The first is to ensure that the station is indeed capable of supporting a crew of six scientists. The second is to help turn a space station under construction into a world-class facility for research and development. The CSA and NASA have no doubts that they have chosen the right man for the job.

NoteWeekly summaries of Bob Thirsk’s work are available on the CSA website at www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/expedition20-21/weekly.asp.

Quick ResearchDuring his NASA interview, Thirsk mentions John Glenn and Neil Armstrong as two people who inspired him to become an astronaut. Who were they and what did they do? Research their careers and write a paragraph on each describing their most significant accomplishment(s) as an astronaut.


TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACEFuture of Space ExplorationWhat is the future of space exploration? This is a question that is being studied by many of the major space agencies, including Canada’s.

For many people, the most exciting element of future space exploration includes manned flights to the moon and to Mars, our nearest planetary neighbour. The U.S. has already announced that it expects to be back on the moon by 2020 and hopes to visit Mars with a manned flight as early as 2035. Other countries, including China, have also announced plans to have their astronauts walk and work on the moon in the near future.

Manned space flight, however, remains both dangerous and extremely expensive. Two of the 127 shuttle missions have failed, with significant loss of life. Many experts point to the successes of unmanned missions and argue that these are both a more cost-effective and safer way to explore the cosmos.

Major ChangesTravel to space in the immediate future seems about to change dramatically. The most obvious change is likely to be the planned retirement of the entire NASA shuttle fleet in 2010. The shuttle is currently the only manned spacecraft used by NASA, and the spacecraft are getting old. The shuttle’s major drawback—besides its vulnerability to certain kinds of accidents—is that it’s range is limited. It can never venture farther into space than Earth orbit.

Under a new project named Constellation, NASA is intending to replace the shuttle with a new craft: Orion. Orion will look and behave more like the Apollo spacecraft that first took men to the moon. Orion will first launch into Earth orbit atop a new rocket, Ares.

Later flights will take it to the moon and eventually to Mars.

Orion, however, will not be ready before 2015. This means the United States will be without a manned spacecraft for at least five years. Those are the very years when the most important research will be conducted at the International Space Station (ISS). All personnel transfers will have to take place on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Supplies, new experiments and new materials will all have to be delivered by unmanned spacecraft or Soyuz rockets.

The United States, worried about this lack of manned spacecraft, has formed a special commission to study the future of manned space travel. The commission’s aim is to outline a program that is safe, innovative, affordable, and sustainable. It may even advise extending the life of the shuttles until the new Orion is ready to fly.

Meanwhile, other countries have expressed an interest in manned space flight. China has already launched a manned orbital flight. Japan and India also have planned missions.

Even the private sector is getting involved. Virgin Galactic is testing its sub-orbital space plane, SpaceShipTwo, and expects to have it taking tourists into space within a year or two. It will carry a crew of two plus six passengers for about CAD$220 000 per person, per trip.

Unmanned ExplorationThe unmanned exploration of space will certainly continue even as new plans for manned travel develop. NASA, in particular, has had tremendous successes with its unmanned probes and robot explorers. One of its greatest successes has been the exploration of Mars by the

Did you know . . .The International Space Station could not have been built without the space shuttle. It is the only vehicle large and powerful enough to carry many of the station’s components into orbit.


twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity. The robots were designed to last only 90 days on the surface of Mars. Both arrived on Mars in January 2004. As of August 2009, both are still functional.

NASA has a wide range of probes and satellites exploring planets and other astronomical objects within our solar system—and well beyond. It also has several satellites studying Earth, its climate, and its resources. Many more are scheduled for launch in the next few years. In 2010, NASA will begin sending a series of robotic probes to the moon to prepare for future manned missions.

However, like other United States government agencies NASA is feeling pressure to cut programs and save money. Keeping a very expensive manned space flight program operating may mean cutbacks in unmanned exploration. The special commission’s report should help clarify how future space exploration will develop.

Canada and the FutureCanada is also in the process of reviewing its plans for space exploration.

The government and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) have made some decisions recently that point to future activities.

Two new astronauts were recently selected to ensure that Canada has the astronauts to conduct research on the International Space Station. They would presumably be available to participate in other manned space flights—additional shuttle missions and Orion flights.

The 2009 budget included $110-million, distributed over the next three years, to be devoted to robotics projects. These would include refinements to Canadian successes like the Canadarm. The money would also be used to develop new kinds of robotic vehicles, including landers to explore the moon and Mars.

Canada will also continue to develop its expertise in Earth-observation satellites. Its launch of Radarsat-2 has made it one of the leaders in environmental monitoring, surveillance, and mapping. The success of this public-private partnership points the way for many of the CSA’s future activities.

Further ResearchFollow the rover mission at marsrovers.nasa.gov/home/index.html. An overview of all NASA’s current missions—manned and unmanned—is available at www.nasa.gov/missions/current/index.html.

For DiscussionJust before Julie Payette’s first space mission, columnist Margaret Wente wrote an opinion piece for The Globe and Mail (May 27,1999) that argued that manned space flight was necessary for one main reason: favourable publicity. She wrote: “Why shoot people into space? Unmanned exploration, critics say, is more productive and a lot cheaper. But governments know that space with a human face is a much more saleable story to taxpayers. They can gabble on forever about industrial spinoffs, but all their press releases are not worth one good quote from a well-scrubbed astronaut. ‘Ride the mighty rocket I will!’ vowed Julie in Maclean’s. Now, that’s a good quote.”

Do you agree with Wente that the astronauts are salespeople for space exploration? How much attention do you believe most people pay to Canada’s space program and its astronauts?


TWO CANADIANS MEET IN SPACEActivity: Reconsidering Canada’s RoleIt has been a topic of debate for many years: Should Canada spend millions of dollars on space exploration activities? Could the money be better spent on social programs?

As long ago as April 24, 2001, The Globe and Mail asked its readers the same question:

“Imagine how much low-income housing could be built with the $1.4-billion spent on Canadarm2, the Canadian-designed robotic arm successfully deployed aboard the orbiting International Space Station yesterday for the first time. Or visualize how that same money could benefit famine relief, or any number of equally worthy causes. With social initiatives and charities hard-pressed for resources, does space exploration justify such an outlay?”

The Globe’s editors answered with a resounding yes. But with the pressures of the current recession many are again asking the same questions.

The Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) budget for 2009-2010 is over $365-million. Is this money well spent? Does our space program produce results that justify that kind of budget?

Or should that money be spent elsewhere? Would it be more useful to hire 1 800 new doctors? To hire 7 300 new nurses? To feed and shelter 15 000 homeless people?

How would you distribute that $365-million? Would you leave it with the CSA? Or would you earmark it for a specific social program or programs?

Your TaskPrepare a brief report (two or three paragraphs) on how you would allot the money. If you would leave it with the CSA, explain why you think its programs are valuable to Canadians. If you would spend it elsewhere, be precise on how much it might affect a specific social program and why it would be money well spent.

Your teacher may ask you to complete this task by yourself, with a partner, or in a small group. Be prepared to share your report with your classmates.

The Globe gave as its most persuasive argument the following statement that you may want to consider as you make up your mind: “. . . Space exploration will continue regardless of whether Canadians participate. For as long as humans have walked the Earth, they have been anxious to unlock its secrets. Journeying into space marks the next, inevitable level of that innate curiosity.”


CANADA AND THE SWINE FLU

FocusIn the spring of 2009, a particular strain of the H1N1 influenza virus spread rapidly around the globe. This prompted the World Health Organization to declare that the world was in the midst of an influenza pandemic. This CBC News in Review story explores what we know about H1N1 and what we have learned from past influenza epidemics, and reviews Canada’s preparations for dealing with H1N1.

IntroductionOn June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a level-six alert for the H1N1 influenza, nicknamed the “swine flu.” This organization, a branch of the United Nations that monitors disease outbreaks worldwide, took this dramatic step because of clear evidence that swine flu had become a pandemic—an epidemic of a potentially deadly disease that had taken on global proportions. The WHO’s declaration followed a serious outbreak of swine flu in Mexico in April 2009, which had resulted in widespread panic and over 150 deaths in that country. By the end of that month, the potentially deadly form of influenza had reached Canada, brought back by vacationers from Mexico, including a group of high-school students from Nova Scotia who were immediately placed under quarantine.

One month later, a serious case of the disease was reported in Alberta, only this time the victim, who required hospitalization, had not travelled to Mexico before becoming ill. This development led to a rising level of concern among federal and provincial health-care agencies, which had previously sought to calm Canadians’ fears by stressing that the disease was rarely deadly and that its symptoms were usually mild and transitory. But now scientists who study viruses such as H1N1 were cautioning that it was

capable of mutating into a more virulent and potentially lethal form that could pose a serious threat to the health of Canadians once the traditional flu season began in the fall of 2009.

By the time of the WHO’s pandemic alert, there were approximately 1 800 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Canada, occurring in every province except Newfoundland. Most of those who came down with its symptoms, which included fever, weakness, pain in the joints, dizziness, and coughing, were people between the ages of 20 and 40 who had been previously healthy. However, the most serious cases usually involved individuals who already suffered from underlying health problems such as obesity, asthma, or diabetes. Pregnant women were also believed to be particularly at risk.

By the end of August 2009, only three swine flu deaths had been reported in this country. But health authorities were especially concerned that the disease appeared to be far more prevalent and potentially deadly among Canada’s First Nations people. As governments at all levels prepared for the worst, health authorities hoped that H1N1 would not represent a serious health emergency for Canadians, as was the deadly 1918 influenza epidemic that had killed over 50 000 in this country and countless millions worldwide.

To ConsiderBefore watching this story, ask yourself what you already know about H1N1, or swine flu. Where did you acquire most of this information (print news, radio, television, the Internet, government agencies, friends or family members)? Are you personally concerned about the potential impact of swine flu or not?



CANADA AND THE SWINE FLUViewing Guide

Pre-Viewing ActivityBefore you watch the video, discuss the following questions with a partner or in a small group: What is swine flu? How is it different from other forms of influenza? How does it spread? Where and when did the latest outbreak begin? Why are health agencies and medical experts so worried about it? Which groups of people are most at risk? What can you do to protect yourself from infection?

Viewing QuestionsAnswer the following questions in the spaces provided.

1. Why is H1N1 considered to be a “composite” flu virus?

2. What steps did the Mexican government take to control the spread of H1N1 when the virus broke out in that country in April 2009?

3. What Canadians were the first to contract the disease? Where had they likely become infected with it?

4. Why did medical authorities consider the case of a young girl in Alberta who became ill from swine flu in May 2009 to be particularly serious?

5. According to some predictions, how many Canadians might require hospitalization from H1N1? How many could die?

6. When is a vaccine for H1N1 expected to be ready? By when might it be available for anyone in Canada who wants it?

7. What groups of Canadians are considered to be priority cases to receive the H1N1 vaccine?

8. Why are young people between the ages of 20 and 40 considered to be particularly vulnerable to the disease?

Did you know . . .One of the mysterious aspects of swine flu is that, unlike other forms of influenza, it seems to strike younger, previously healthy people more than the elderly, who are usually the most at risk. No one really knows why this is so.


9. Besides receiving a vaccination, what other steps can Canadians take to minimize the risk of contracting swine flu or any other virus?

10. What emergency measures have governments put in place to deal with a serious outbreak of the disease expected in the fall of 2009?

Post-Viewing ActivitiesAfter you have watched the video, discuss and respond to the following questions. Your teacher may choose to place you in a small group with other students.

1. Based on what you have seen in the video, do you think that governments in Canada have prepared themselves adequately for a serious outbreak of swine flu? Why or why not?

2. Do you think that the worldwide concern over the dangers of swine flu is exaggerated? Why or why not?

3. What groups of Canadians do you think should be considered priority cases for receiving swine flu shots once the vaccine becomes available to the public? Explain the reasons for your choices.

4. What potential effects do you think a very serious outbreak of swine flu, such as the 1918 influenza epidemic, might have on Canadian society?

5. What steps do you think governments would be required to take in order to minimize or control the consequences of a serious swine flu epidemic in Canada?


CANADA AND THE SWINE FLUH1N1 Virus: An FAQ SheetThere are a number of common misconceptions associated with the swine flu. One of these is that humans can catch H1N1 from eating pork. The following information should be helpful in clearing up some of the misinformation surrounding the virus.

What is the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic?

An epidemic is a disease affecting a large group of people living in the same area at roughly the same time. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prefers the less sensational term “outbreak” in order to avoid alarming the public. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an epidemic as “the occurrence of cases of disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographical area, or season. An outbreak may occur in a restricted geographical area, or may extend over several countries. It may last for a few days or weeks, or for several years” (“Swine Flu FAQ,” www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/24/f-swineflu-faq.html).

A pandemic is an epidemic on a global scale. According to the WHO, “an influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity, resulting in epidemics worldwide with enormous numbers of death or illness.” Illnesses such as the common cold and seasonal influenza, which are prevalent at all times but do not reach epidemic proportions, are referred to as “endemic” diseases.

What is swine flu?

The official name for swine flu is the H1N1 influenza, after a new viral strain

that had not previously been found among human beings. This H1N1 virus was first detected in March 2009 when it began infecting people in Mexico. However, H1N1 is very similar to the virus that triggered the worst pandemic in history—the 1918 “Spanish flu” that killed millions of people in the months after the First World War. (You can learn more about the Spanish flu in the section The “Spanish Lady” on page 27 of this guide.)

H1N1 is known as a “composite” virus, meaning that it is a combination of four different strains of influenza—one found in birds, one in humans, and two in pigs, or swine. Thus, it is not strictly correct to refer to H1N1 as “swine” flu, but the name has stuck.

Why is there so much concern about swine flu?

Every year thousands of people contract what is known as “seasonal” influenza, or the flu. In Canada the flu season usually begins in the fall and peaks during the coldest months of winter. While the vast majority of people recover from the flu after a few days of rest and medication, there are always some people who die from it—usually the elderly or people with weak immune systems. Medical authorities are particularly worried about H1N1, however, because it is a newly mutated influenza strain that has not appeared before in humans. This means humans have no immunity against the strain.

As well, for some reason the swine flu seems to strike people between the ages of 20 and 40 who were previously healthy. This is usually a population that is not considered to be at risk of serious complications from influenza.

Did you know . . .The last epidemic to strike Canada was Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), in 2003. SARS initially broke out in the Toronto area but spread across the country. By the time the epidemic was over, dozens of Canadians had died from SARS.


Can swine flu be spread by eating pork?

Swine flu is mainly spread through human-to-human contact such as sneezing or touching. It is not transmitted by consuming food. In May 2009 the WHO declared that it was safe to eat pork, provided it was properly stored and cooked. It is also impossible to contract the disease by eating fruit, vegetables, or other products imported from countries such as Mexico, where the initial outbreak of H1N1 began in April 2009. Despite these warnings, pork producers’ associations in Canada and elsewhere reported a sharp decline in the sale of their products in 2009 because of the growing concern over swine flu infection.

What are the main symptoms of swine flu?

The main symptoms are similar to those in other forms of influenza, such as fever, weakness, coughing, and soreness of the joints. Some people also experience a sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. But unlike other

forms of influenza, H1N1’s symptoms can be much more severe, longer lasting, and serious enough to require hospitalization in some cases.

Can swine flu be treated?

A vaccine against swine flu is in the process of development and is expected to be tested on humans in September 2009. If the tests are successful, it is anticipated that sufficient quantities of the vaccine can be produced to provide immunization for groups believed most at risk from the disease—health-care professionals, pregnant women, young people, and those suffering from medical problems such as diabetes or asthma—by late fall. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) expects that it should be possible to provide immunization for anyone who desires it by the end of 2009.

Sources: “Swine Flu FAQ,” www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/24/f-swineflu-faq.html, and “Pandemic preparation: dealing with infectious disease outbreaks,” www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/24/f-fluprep.html

NoteLike all forms of influenza, swine flu is a respiratory infection that attacks the lungs. It can cause death from pneumonia or secondary infections causing failure of the body’s vital organs.

AnalysisRecord some common misconceptions about the swine flu. Where do you think these misconceptions came from? What projects to promote greater awareness of the dangers posed by H1N1 might you be able to initiate in your school or classroom?


CANADA AND THE SWINE FLUCanada’s Pandemic PreparednessCanada has developed a detailed plan for dealing with a possible H1N1 epidemic. The plan is the result of consultation between the federal and provincial governments. It is titled “The Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan for the Health Sector” and is accessible on the Web site of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) at www.phac-aspc.gc.

The government believes that the pandemic preparedness plan puts the country in a good position if or when the pandemic hits. But there are critics of the plan, including the Canadian Medical Association. As you read the following information, identify the strengths and weaknesses of the plan.

Impact of an Influenza Pandemic in CanadaPHAC authorities admit that it is impossible to predict when the H1N1 pandemic will strike or how serious it will be when it does. However, they are fairly confident that it will begin in late 2009 and spread during the traditional winter flu season. It is likely to last for at least one year, with more than one wave occurring during this period. Each wave is expected to last between six to eight weeks.

During this time, up to 70 per cent of the population may become infected with the disease, but only 15 to 35 per cent will become ill enough to require time off from work for at least one day. If such a pandemic occurs, and if sufficient quantities of vaccine and/or antiviral drugs are not available, up to half of those who are clinically ill may require outpatient care, one per cent will need hospitalization, and 0.4 per cent will die. Individuals who contract swine flu and recover from it will be immune from

Quote“We don’t hear a plan for what will happen from now till November in terms of antiviral drugs. But we mainly don’t hear a plan from 15.4 million doses in vials somewhere to how we’re going to get those into Canadians’ arms. And in what order and who’s going to do it.” — Dr. Carolyn Bennett, opposition Liberal Party’s health critic (www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/08/17/swine-flu-czar-cmaj.html)

further infection from this virus.If the swine flu causes illness in 35 per

cent of the population, then businesses could anticipate absenteeism rates of up to 25 per cent during the worst two-week peak period of the pandemic. Some people will be too ill to work, while others will need to take time off to care for sick relatives at home. School closures and other emergency public health measures such as restricting or banning public meetings and gatherings like sporting events or concerts may also have to be considered.

Estimated Health Impacts of a Pandemic in CanadaA moderately severe pandemic may cause the following:• between 11 000 to 58 000 deaths• 34 000 to 138 000 cases of people

requiring hospitalization who recover• two to five million people requiring

outpatient care from a doctor • 4.5 to 10.6 million becoming clinically

illThis means that if a sufficient vaccine

or other antiviral drugs are not available, up to one-third of the total population of Canada could be affected by a swine flu pandemic.

Key Components of the Pandemic PlanThe first element of an effective response to a possible pandemic is to be able to identify the new strain of the virus quickly and prepare a vaccine to combat it. Since the SARS epidemic of 2003, Canada has become far better at identifying and tracking new viral strains such as H1N1. It has also improved its pandemic alert system, with the Global


Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN) providing continuous updates worldwide, seven days a week, over the Internet.

Canada is one of the few countries that is developing and manufacturing a new vaccine against H1N1. However, this medication may not be available when the pandemic first strikes, and it may take some time to produce sufficient quantities of the drug to inoculate the entire population. Meanwhile, there is an existing supply of antiviral drugs that are effective in treating people who become ill from the disease, and this stockpile is being increased.

Health officials at the federal and provincial levels are also working to raise public awareness about how to fight the disease, including education campaigns to promote good hygiene practices such as frequent hand washing and maintaining “social distancing” by restricting human-to-human contacts to the minimum necessary for everyday life. In some cases, individuals who become ill from the disease will require isolation, but a large-scale quarantine program is not seen as practicable.

Response to the Government’s PlanAfter the government released the pandemic plan, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA)—a group representing Canada’s physicians—issued an editorial in August 2009 calling for the appointment of a “health-care czar” with emergency authority to deal with an H1N1 outbreak. Such an individual would need to have greater powers than the chief public health officer in order to take rapid action and co-ordinate the activities of various levels of government to fight the disease. The current chief public health officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, is an appointee of the federal government and does not have any authority over provincial health-care bodies.

The CMA editorial also recommended that the government quickly identify vulnerable groups in the population and develop ways of vaccinating them. As of August 2009, the government had yet to develop such a plan.

Quote“We have a new plan, we have more resources, we have more personnel, more technology, more know-how, and a better understanding of how to deal with these kinds of things.” — Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty (cbcnews.ca, April 28, 2009)

Follow-up 1. What do you think are the most important elements of the federal

government’s pandemic plan? How effective do you think they will be when a serious swine flu outbreak occurs?

2. Do you think a country can ever be adequately prepared for a health pandemic? Explain.


CANADA AND THE SWINE FLUFirst Nations CommunitiesAs the first cases of H1N1 were reported in Canada in the spring of 2009 a disturbing pattern began to emerge. Many of the cases were occurring in isolated First Nations communities, such as the Stony Lake and St. Theresa Point reserves in northern Manitoba. Nunavut was also reporting a number of confirmed swine flu cases, with 405 of the territory’s total population of 31 000 residents infected with the disease and 40 requiring hospitalization. This rate of infection was nine times the national average. In addition, most of the victims of the virus were under 10 years of age, significantly younger than in other parts of Canada.

Explaining the DisparityAccording to Isaac Sobol, Nunavut’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, serious problems of overcrowding and malnutrition in Aboriginal communities were contributing to the swine flu outbreak. As he notes, “it’s common sense that these conditions provide a breeding ground for the spread of disease. And that helps explain why the transmission of novel H1N1 has been phenomenally efficient” (www.cmaj.ca/earlyreleases/23july09_aboriginals.shtml).

Criticism of the GovernmentMany people in the medical community and in Aboriginal communities have criticized the government for not doing enough to help vulnerable members of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. For one, critics feel that the government did not move quickly enough to determine which groups should be priority cases to receive the new vaccine when it becomes available in late 2009.

Another criticism is that the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) was wrong not to separate statistics on the rates of H1N1 infection among Aboriginal people from those of the general population. This information would have allowed the government to target resources toward Aboriginal communities much more quickly.

As well, Kim Barker, a public health advisor to the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), has said the government appeared to be trying to silence Aboriginal leaders from speaking out about the deficiencies of its swine flu preparedness plan. As she notes, “because the solutions are costly, we are getting a lot of push-back from the federal government telling us not to talk about it” (“Federal policies fuel the spread of swine flu,” www.cmaj.ca/earlyreleases/23july09_aboriginals.shtml).

Controversy over Hand SanitizerIn the middle of June 2009 news broke that the government had delayed shipping crates of alcohol-based hand sanitizers to reserve communities out of fear that they would be abused by alcoholics in those communities. Not surprisingly, people were outraged by this news.

To Jessica Yee, an advocate for Aboriginal peoples, the government’s apparent inaction on the swine flu crisis among First Nations people was appalling but not surprising. In her view, decisions such as the postponement of the distribution of alcohol-based hand sanitizers to Aboriginal communities was typical of federal policies that have totally failed to address the health-care crisis facing First Nations people.

Quote“Access to necessary health-care services is an ongoing problem for many indigenous people around the world, and Canada is no exception. But universal health care and non-insured health benefits (which First Nations and Inuit individuals receive in Canada) don’t mean anything if you live somewhere you still cannot get household plumbing, let alone a visit to the doctor. ” — Jessica Yee, (“Canada’s swine flu shame,” www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/30/swine-flu-canada-first-nations/print)


Yee argues that Canada’s Aboriginal population has to cope with “Third World conditions” of medical care, while the rest of Canada’s people enjoy the benefits of a health-care system that is second to none in the world. To support her claims, Yee cited a recent report from a Senate subcommittee investigating the inadequacies and inequities of First Nations health-care systems. She quotes it as follows: “Canada is generally perceived as one of the greatest countries in the world in which to live. It has a vast and diverse geography rich in natural resources, clean air, and a vast territory. When it comes to health, however, we unfortunately have serious disparities. Some Canadians live their lives in excellent health, with one of the highest life expectancies in the world; paradoxically others spend their life in poor health, with a life expectancy similar to some Third World countries. The unfortunate Canadians who suffer poor health throughout their lifetime are frequently less productive, adding to the burden on the health-care delivery system and social safety net. We cannot correct this inequity through the health-care delivery system itself, regardless of the expenditure we devote to it (“Canada’s swine flu shame,” www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/30/swine-flu-canada-first-nations/print).

SolutionsOne solution some Aboriginal people were exploring in the wake of the swine flu outbreak involved a return to traditional healing practices to fight the disease. Aboriginal healing techniques, as with other alternative medicine, focus on the well-being of a person as a whole—the physical, emotional, and spiritual. Traditional native healing focuses on strengthening the immune system so that it can better cope with viruses and bacteria.

Besha Blondin, a healer with the Dene people in the Northwest Territories, called on the medical community to consider joining forces with Aboriginal healers to deal with the virus. Blondin’s ideas found support from both alternative medicine practitioners such as naturopaths and even Dr. Michael Gardom, the director of Ontario’s Infectious Disease Prevention and Control program. Gardom pointed out that if alternative therapies are effective in fighting H1N1, then they could take some of the pressure off what he expected to be a seriously overloaded health-care system once the pandemic strikes.

Quote“We’ve had a number of people come forward and some evidence where this could potentially put people at risk. For the vast majority of people it’s not an issue but . . . that discussion was had with the best interest of our clients in mind and we have now distributed hand sanitizers.” — Anne-Marie Robinson, assistant deputy minister for the First Nations and Inuit Health branch of Health Canada (“Alcohol worries kept hand sanitizer from flu-hit reserves,” Canada.com, June 24, 2009)

Analysis 1. Do you agree with critics who claim that the federal government’s plan to

deal with the swine flu epidemic has been flawed when it comes to First Nations communities? Why or why not?

2. Why is it that a wealthy country like Canada has large groups of people who are unable to access basic health care?

3. Do you think that health-care agencies should promote the use of alternative medical therapies such as traditional Aboriginal healing practices or naturopathy in order to deal with the swine flu outbreak? Why or why not?


CANADA AND THE SWINE FLUThe “Spanish Lady”: The Flu Pandemic of 1918“When your eyes begin to water and your nose turns blue, if your lips begin to quiver, then you’ve got the Spanish flu.” — A common saying in Canada in 1918

As public health officials in Canada and around the world anxiously awaited the arrival of the H1N1 pandemic in the last months of 2009, one thought was uppermost in their minds: Would this outbreak bear any resemblance to the devastating 1918 influenza pandemic nicknamed “The Spanish Lady”? This virulent form of the disease made its first deadly appearance in Spain in May 1918, hence its nickname.

The Staggering TollSoldiers returning from the First World War brought the flu home to Canada and the United States later that year, with horrific consequences. By the time the outbreak had spent itself in late 1919, an estimated 21 to 50 million people worldwide had died from it, far more than the total military and civilian death toll for the war itself, which lasted from 1914 to 1918. In Canada, 50 000 people died, approximately the same number of Canadian soldiers killed in the fighting in Europe. In some small villages of rural Quebec and the Maritimes, entire populations were wiped out, and the communities became permanent ghost towns.

The Spanish flu struck quickly and unexpectedly. Sometimes people went to bed healthy and never woke up. Or they went to work in the morning feeling perfectly well and dropped dead before returning home at the end of the day. The symptoms were horrible, and death was agonizing, if mercifully quick. According to John M. Barry, author of

The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History, “some of the more horrific symptoms included bleeding from your nose and mouth, and from your ears or even your eyes. In some cases, the floor would be covered in blood. It was an incredibly gruesome situation.”

The Spanish flu took its deadliest toll among the poorest Canadians living in small, overcrowded homes in working-class areas of cities like Toronto. Mabel Royle, who worked as a volunteer nurse during the epidemic in the west-end neighbourhood of York Township, recalled that people were dying in such numbers that grave diggers at Prospect Park cemetery could not inter them fast enough in the frozen earth that winter, and coffins were stacked like cordwood all over the burial grounds. In those days, there were no antibiotics available, and victims’ only hope for survival was the strength of their natural immune systems. People either recovered from or succumbed to the Spanish Lady’s deadly embrace, and all that caregivers could do was make their suffering a little less painful while it lasted.

Similarities with the 2009 H1N1 OutbreakHana Weingartl, a medical researcher with the Canadian Food Agency (CFA) tested the resistance of pigs to both the 1918 Spanish flu virus and a strain of swine flu isolated from a pig in 1930. She discovered that there was no significant difference between the effects of the two viruses on pigs. These results indicate that the 1918 human influenza virus and the one that caused swine flu in the same year were substantially the same thing.

Did you know . . .Like the current swine flu virus, the Spanish flu’s victims of choice were previously healthy young people between the ages of 20 and 40.


There are other disturbing similarities between the two variants of influenza. Both strike the poor far more than the rich, since poor people live in overcrowded conditions where the virus can spread easily. In 1918 there were many poor people living in the world; in 2009 there are billions more.

Reasons for OptimismAccording to medical researchers at the Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the

current swine flu virus is nowhere near as lethal as its 1918 cousin because it lacks the genes that made the Spanish flu so deadly to its human victims.

In addition, the availability of antiviral medications and a possible vaccine, to say nothing of vastly improved and far more accessible medical care to the general population, mean that a potential H1N1 pandemic will kill far fewer victims than the Spanish Lady did in her worldwide tour of death in 1918.

NoteIn 1918, the Spanish flu took about a year to make its way around the globe. Air travel did not exist at that time. Today, H1N1 can board a jet plane anywhere in the world along with its unsuspecting passenger host and arrive at any other destination within hours, or days at the most. Analysis

1. How important is it for medical researchers to discover a link between the current H1N1 virus and the one that caused the Spanish flu in 1918? Why?

2. Do you think that a worldwide swine flu pandemic in 2009 could be as deadly as the Spanish Lady of 1918? Why or why not?


CANADA AND THE SWINE FLUActivity: You Decide

The IssueA number of observers are concerned that there may not be enough swine flu vaccine for every Canadian once it becomes available in the fall of 2009.

Your Task With a partner, or in a small group, develop a list of criteria to determine which groups of Canadians should be considered top priority to receive the swine flu vaccine first.

Before you generate your list, you may want to view the News in Review video again and consider the following:

• Young people between the ages of 20 and 40 seem to be at higher risk than others of contracting H1N1.

• Pregnant women are also considered to be high risk.

• The skills and knowledge of health-care providers and professionals will be needed in the event of a pandemic.

• Providers of essential services (e.g., police, firefighters, public transit workers) will be required to continue working in the event of a pandemic.

• It is expected that the incidence of swine flu will be higher in low-income socio-economic groups and among First Nations people.

• Transmission rates will be higher wherever humans are in close contact with one another (e.g., schools).

Once you have created your list of criteria, you will be comparing your work with two other pairs or groups. You will have to convince the others that your criteria are correct, so make sure you have strong reasons for your rankings.

Our Criteria


IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENTIntroductionIt was supposed to be one of the closest elections in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Instead the “official” results made it look like a landslide victory for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as the incumbent raked in over two-thirds of the votes. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared the results a “divine assessment.”

But there was something wrong with the numbers being tossed around by Iran’s election officials. First of all, the results were announced before the polls closed. How can a nation declare an election winner when people are still putting their votes into ballot boxes? Second, even if Ahmadinejad was the victor, how did election officials manage to count close to 40 million votes so quickly when they were counting the votes by hand at polling stations scattered across the nation?

These two problems, and a host of other voting irregularities, set off a series of protests in Tehran and a number of other Iranian cities. Some claimed that Iran had not seen such passionate protests since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Hundreds of thousands of protestors defied the Supreme Leader’s “divine assessment” and hit the streets in support of reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi and the other defeated candidates.

The government scrambled to respond, summoning the Revolutionary Guard

and the Basij militia to stem the rising tide of the protestors. Within days of the election, 17 protestors were killed in skirmishes with authorities. Despite the brute force being used by the Iranian government, the protestors pressed on.

The government also tried to shut down Web sites and cell service, but young, techno-savvy Iranians bypassed proxies and posted messages via the social networking site Twitter. Those messages managed to disseminate information about government violence against protestors, despite the government’s attempts to block all media coverage of the demonstrations.

Within a week of the election, Ayatollah Khamenei confirmed the election results despite irregularities with close to three million votes. He told protestors that further demonstrations would not be tolerated. He made good on his threat with the arrest of close to a thousand protestors. In August 2009, nearly 100 reformists were accused of trying to overthrow the government and were put on trial.

Eventually the protests faded, but there is no telling how much life the reform movement gained over the summer of 2009. The Iranian government establishment fears a velvet revolution is brewing that will see the power structure shift from the ruling clerics to the surging reformers.

FocusAfter a controversial presidential vote in June 2009, the citizens of Iran took to the streets to challenge the validity of the election results. This News in Review story looks at the controversy surrounding the election and the mass protests that followed.

DefinitionThe term velvet revolution refers to a non-violent revolution. The term finds its origins in the non-violent demonstrations in Prague that eventually led to the collapse of the Czechoslovakian government in 1989.

To ConsiderGovernments that want to tightly control their country tend to fear public demonstrations and protests. Why might that be so? In what ways might public demonstrations actually be a good thing? Explain.



IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENTVideo Review

Focus for ViewingReview the following two scenarios before watching the documentary. Write your answers down in point form and share them with a classmate.

1. Imagine if a Canadian prime minister appeared on TV and said that the Holocaust never happened and that Israel needed to be destroyed. How do you think Canadians would respond to these claims? How do you think our allies would respond to these claims? How well do you think the prime minister would fare in the next election?

2. Imagine if a Canadian governor general met the press about a week after an election and speculated that about a million votes were cast under suspicious circumstances but, in the government’s opinion, there was no reason to order a recount or to overturn the results of the vote. How do you think Canadians would react to this kind of scenario?

Questions for ViewingAs you watch this News in Review story, complete the following questions:

1. Why do experts claim that Iran plays a major role on the world stage?

2. Who holds the most powerful position in Iran? Who holds the second most powerful position?

3. What did reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi come to represent as the election moved toward the national vote?

4. What modern means did the reformers use to spread their message and organize their events?

5. (a) Early on voting day, who looked like they were going to win the election?

See for YourselfView a photo gallery of images taken during the Iran demonstrations at www.cbc.ca/photogallery/world/2338/.


(b) In the end, who was declared the winner?

6. (a) How did the reformers react to the election results?

(b) How did the government respond to the reformers?

7. Who did President Ahmadinejad and his supporters blame for the civil unrest after the election?

8. What percentage of Iranians are under the age of 25? How did the under-25 population circumvent government censorship to communicate during the crisis?

9. How did Supreme Leader Ali Khameini regain control in Iran? Describe the human cost of his decision.

10. About two-thirds of MPs chose not to attend President Ahmadinejad’s victory party. What message do you think this sent to the President and the Supreme Leader?

11. Where did things stand for the government and the reformers by the end of the documentary?

Post-Viewing ActivityBefore you watched the documentary you were asked to take part in two imaginary scenarios. Both of those scenarios are based on things that happened in Iranian politics during the presidential election campaign of 2009. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly claimed that the Holocaust never took place and has called for the destruction of the state of Israel. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini appeared on Iranian state television and admitted that around three million votes were cast under suspicious circumstances. However, he said the voting irregularities wouldn’t have affected the outcome of the election.

Based on this information, and what you learned from watching the video, why are the views of Ahmadinejad and Khamenei so troubling?

Did you know . . .Iranian-Canadians protested the Iranian election results in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and other major centres across the country.


IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENTElection Outrage

Reading PromptAs you read the following information, consider which factors contributed to the election outrage that surfaced in the summer of 2009.

Mistakes Made by the PresidentMost political observers saw the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a foregone conclusion early in the campaign. By all accounts, Ahmadinejad’s support among his constituents—mostly working-class Iranians and political conservatives—was rock solid and more than enough to put him back in office.

However Ahmadinejad is famous for saying and doing controversial things. On the world stage, he is notorious for denying the Holocaust and declaring that Israel should be wiped off the face of the Earth—comments that are so alienating that it makes it difficult to keep diplomatic channels open with Iran.

He also courted controversy during the election, making what many are calling two serious mistakes: first, he claimed that revered former-president Hashemi Rasfanjani was involved in political corruption and later he held up the picture of the wife of his main rival during a televised debate and claimed that she obtained her university degrees fraudulently. While many felt Ahmadinejad overpowered his opponents in the debates, he unwittingly unleashed the will of millions of undecided voters with his antics.

The Reform Movement Gains StrengthSuddenly, voter apathy transformed into activism. Reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi, viewed as a passive, uncharismatic candidate with questionable leadership qualities early in the race, became the voice of change

deep into the campaign. His message of economic and social reform finally found a wider audience and, by the time the election came on June 12, reformists felt that the election was theirs for the taking.

Unfortunately, the hopes of the reformists were soon dashed. Before the polls even closed, the Interior Ministry, the government agency that administered the election, declared Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the landslide victor, with 63 per cent of the vote. Almost immediately Ahmadinejad’s rivals cried foul. They contended that the President could not have garnered so high a percentage of the vote. A higher voter turnout should have meant more votes for the reform candidates. With voter turnout at 85 per cent, and the fact that the election was declared in favour of Ahmadinejad so early, the reformists went on the hunt for voting irregularities.

Voting IrregularitiesThey didn’t have to look very far. Almost immediately reformists found electoral districts where the number of ballots cast exceeded the number of voters on the voting list. They also discovered that Ahmadinejad had substantially more votes in his rival’s home districts, a highly unlikely proposition according to most pundits. Mousavi had also received word that thousands of voters were not allowed to vote, and thousands of election scrutineers were barred from polling stations.

Protests EruptThe reform candidates were quick to mobilize their constituents. Within hours

Did you know . . .Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was an obscure figure when he was appointed mayor of Tehran in the spring of 2003. He was still relatively unknown when he won the second round run-off vote in the 2005 presidential election.


of the Interior Ministry’s announcement, thousands of people in Tehran protested publicly. The next day, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran and many other cities around Iran. Protestors chanted “Death to the dictator,” “God is great,” and “Where’s my vote?” in demonstrations that have been called the most passionate since the Islamic Revolution led to the formation of the republic in 1979.

The protests were not without violence. At least 17 people were killed in clashes with the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia. Despite the violence, people protested by the hundreds of thousands. Eventually, a partial recount of the votes was allowed. However, a partial recount was not enough for the reformists. They wanted the presidential election results nullified and a whole new election to take place.

On June 19, Supreme Leader Khamenei went on state television and told the protestors to cease their demonstrations. He warned them that they would be held responsible for any bloodshed stemming from their protests. The people of Iran understood that this meant the Supreme Leader was willing to let loose the Revolutionary Guard and Basij, leading to a massive escalation in the level of violence heaped upon protestors. In the days following the

Supreme Leader’s speech there were protests—but not nearly on the scale seen previously. Many of the protestors were arrested, and about 100 were put on trial for attempting to overthrow the Iranian government.

The chasm between the two sides widened once the Guardian Council delivered the results of their investigation into the election. The Council found that, in 50 Iranian cities, the number of votes cast had exceeded the number of voters to the tune of about three million votes. They concluded that, even if the three million votes were given to Mousavi or one of the other defeated candidates, there still would not be enough ballots to topple Ahmadinejad, who finished 11 million votes ahead. In their eyes, Ahmadinejad had won his bid for president fairly.

As the summer of 2009 pressed on, the protests continued, and a deep sense of unrest set in. Politicians and clerics began openly challenging the Supreme Leader—something unheard of in Iranian politics. Mousavi and his reformist colleagues continued to call for a nullification of the vote. But in early August 2009 Khamenei formally endorsed the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, employing a strategy that appeared to suggest, “If you ignore the problem, there is no problem.”

Did you know . . .The Islamic Revolution occurred during 1978 and 1979 when Islamic fundamentalists overthrew the country’s secular (nonreligious) monarchy. The new Islamic Republic of Iran rejected Western influences and was guided by Shia Islamic teachings.

Analysis At the end of this section, the author makes a claim that the Iranian establishment was employing a strategy that seemed to suggest, “If you ignore the problem, there is no problem.” How is this evident in the government’s response to the election crisis?


IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENTIran: The View from the WestOne of the hallmarks of modern Iranian political rhetoric is a healthy dose of anti-West chatter. In fact, in Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s first televised address after the disputed election of June 2009, he started his speech by warning the “arrogant powers” of the West that an 85 per cent turnout at the polls showed the democratic strength of the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad routinely blamed the West—namely Britain and the U.S.—for inciting riots in Tehran in the post-election period.

It is not like Iran has no reason to distrust the West. Britain is often referred to as the “little Satan” who flexed its imperial muscles in the late 1800s and most of the 1900s to control the social, political, and economic activity of Iran and other nations in the Middle East. Meanwhile the U.S. is called the “Great Satan.” The main reason Iranians see the U.S. as their ultimate enemy comes from the fact that the CIA, working with British intelligence, helped overthrow the democratically elected government of Mohammad Mossadeq in 1953 in favour of the unpopular dictatorship of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The Shah ruled with an iron fist up to 1979, when the Islamic Revolution forced him out of power.

Iranian Hostage CrisisThe Shah fled the country and soon discovered he had serious health problems that needed expert medical attention. President Jimmy Carter allowed the Shah to come to the U.S. for treatment. Iranians were furious with Carter and the U.S. so they protested outside the U.S. embassy in Tehran. What started as a mass protest turned into a storming of the embassy itself,

and 53 embassy personnel were taken hostage. The hostages were finally set free the day new U.S. President Ronald Reagan was inaugurated. To say that the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Iran has been tense ever since would be an understatement.

Iran’s Nuclear ProgramToday, the most pressing international problem that the West faces in dealing with Iran has to do with Iran’s desire to build nuclear power facilities. The West worries that Iran is also trying to build nuclear weapons and, since Iran already has the ability to launch warheads to Israel and Europe, observers are very concerned. For its part, the Iranians claim that they have no desire to build nuclear weapons and that the international community has no right to interfere with their desire to develop nuclear facilities.

In the era after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States engaged in military operations in Afghanistan and then in Iraq. Despite intentions, this made Iran stronger. With two of its neighbours more or less occupied by foreign troops, Iran was able to take advantage of instability in the region and improve its financial fortune in oil revenues and other economic activity. Another thing that helped Iran was George W. Bush’s labelling of the nation as part of the “axis of evil.” Iranians had the confirmation they needed that the “Great Satan” was out to get them, and Iranian nationalism surged.

Can U.S. President Obama Usher in a New Era?With the victory of Barack Obama in 2008, a new era of diplomacy began. Obama knew that the adversarial politics

NoteWhen news organizations speak of Iran’s distrust of the West, they are speaking of Western democracies like the U.S., Canada, and Britain.

Did you know . . .During the Iranian hostage crisis, 53 Americans were held hostage in Iran for 444 days. The United States military made a failed attempt to rescue the hostages, which resulted in the crash of two aircraft and the deaths of eight U.S. servicemen and one Iranian civilian.


of the past was no way to deal with a potential nuclear power. Obama seemed to appreciate the fact that Iran took major exception to the U.S. and sought to remedy the situation as soon as he took office. One of the first things he did was let Iran know that he was willing to open diplomatic channels on a variety of issues, including the nuclear issue.

In March 2009, he broadcast an address to the people of Iran where he laid out his approach: “This [diplomatic] process will not be advanced by threats. We seek instead engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect” (Toronto Star, March 21, 2009). Later, when the presidential election results were challenged by the reformists, Obama was quick to condemn government violence against protestors but was careful not to attack the Iranian government specifically. He didn’t want his attacks to be used by the government as an excuse to escalate violence against

the protestors. He also wanted to keep diplomatic channels open with Iran.

Negotiating with Iran can be a difficult proposition. Iran has often been characterized as a closed society. While there are democratic elements to the Iranian government system, the power of the Supreme Leader makes the nation very close to a dictatorship. When the election results of 2009 were challenged, the Khamenei government shut down Web sites and cell services, mobilized the Revolutionary Guard, and locked foreign journalists in their hotel rooms. Meanwhile President Ahmadinejad called the hundreds of thousands of people protesting the election results the equivalent of soccer hooligans who weren’t happy they lost the game. If Western countries hope to keep diplomatic channels open with Iran they will need to be prepared for many bumps along the road.

Analysis 1. Why is Iran so suspicious of the West? Do you feel their concerns are

historically warranted?

2. What has President Obama done to open diplomatic channels with Iran?

3. What challenges does the West have when it comes to communicating with the government of Iran?


IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENTYouth RevolutionIn 2005, disillusioned youth stayed away from polling booths as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad swept his way into power. In 2009, political pundits expected the same thing. Iran tends to be a nation where older men run the show and youth are told to stay in line. However, something sparked the interest of young people, as the presidential election became a lightning rod for change and reform.

All four presidential candidates knew they needed to court the youth vote. With close to 70 per cent of the Iranian population under the age of 30, the candidates knew that young Iranians could be their ticket to power. Of the four men vying for the presidency, Mir Hossein Mousavi was by far the most effective at reaching youth. Mousavi used his Web site and a companion Facebook site (where he quickly attracted close to 40 000 supporters) to get his message out to young people.

Mousavi delivered a platform that vowed to get Iran’s 25 per cent inflation rate under control and improve unemployment. He hammered Ahmadinejad for squandering close to $300-billion in oil revenue over his four-year term and soundly criticized the president for damaging Iran’s international reputation with his anti-Israel rants and Holocaust denial. Mousavi also vowed to introduce measures designed to improve women’s rights and Iran’s diplomatic standing in the global community.

Momentum ShiftsThings changed dramatically for Mousavi after one of the televised presidential debates. His campaign had been gaining momentum in the weeks

prior to the debate. Many observers believe that Mousavi’s wife, Zahra Rahnavard, was giving life to his campaign and drawing women and young people to the reformist side. An accomplished scholar, author, artist, and one-time university chancellor, Rahnavard drew rock-star-style enthusiasm to her husband’s campaign.

This did not go unnoticed by Ahmadinejad and, in an effort to discredit Rahnavard, he took aim at his opponent’s wife in one of the debates. Ahmadinejad pulled a picture of Rahnavard out of an official looking file (some believe it was her intelligence file) and held it up to the camera. He then proceeded to claim that Rahnavard obtained her university degrees by bending government rules. The president’s supporters loved the tactic, but his opponents, and many undecided Iranian voters, thought the attack was unwarranted and unfounded.

For her part, Rahnavard demanded an apology from Ahmadinejad saying, “Either he cannot tolerate highly educated women or he’s discouraging women from playing an active role in society” (Toronto Star, June 12, 2009). Rahnavard’s conduct was gold for the Mousavi campaign. Suddenly people were flocking to gather as much information on the man and his crusade as they could find. Overwhelmingly, women and youth flocked to the would-be president’s side.

The Role of Telecommunications TechnologyWhen election day came, and Ahmadinejad was declared the winner, Iranians went to Mousavi’s site for guidance, only to find that the site was

Did you know . . .Supporters of Mousavi adopted the colour green. Young Iranians were seen wearing green clothing, green nail polish, green eye shadow, and waving green banners and scarves.


unavailable. They turned to their cell phones. Cell service was also down. The timing of the communication breakdown seemed too coincidental. With visions of government conspiracies in their head, angry Mousavi supporters took to the streets.

In the days that followed, when Mousavi’s site was available, he encouraged his supporters to keep up the fight, to demand a new election, and to let their voices by heard. He discouraged violence and, when the government resorted to violence, he encouraged his supporters to publically mourn for those who died. While Mousavi did his best to get his message out to the people, the voice of the protest movement really came from the people themselves.

Twitter users communicated protest locations and times to each other. They also sent messages to friends who lived in Toronto, London, Paris, and New York, providing the world with eyewitness accounts of what was going on in Iran. In fact, Twitter was so widely used during the weeks after the June 12 vote that the U.S. government asked Twitter administrators to avoid doing maintenance and upgrades that might disrupt the protestors’ ability to communicate. Protestors also used Facebook to share their stories, and some Iranians managed to post videos of protests and skirmishes with police on YouTube.

For its part, the Iranian government shut down reformist Web sites and disrupted cell services as much as they could. However, young, techno-savvy Iranians would not be deterred. Many used a cyber back door developed by Canadians at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab. Psiphon is a software package that allows people to form trusted groups. Once in these trusted groups, the software allows members to communicate undetected by government communication experts. Psiphon was designed to be used in precisely the kind of circumstances distraught Iranians found themselves in during the summer of 2009.

The disputed presidential election may have done irreparable damage to the government of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He openly showed his support for the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and, when the results were announced, it looked like the fix was in. In essence, by not addressing the voting irregularities that he admits occurred, he has left the disaffected youth who so passionately participated in the protests with ammunition going into the next election. At that point they will be four years older and may no longer have an appetite for the heavy-handedness of the Supreme Leader and his band of old men.

Further ResearchLearn more about the movement toward an open Internet experience and the software of Psiphon at http://psiphon.ca.

Analysis 1. List some of the main ideas of Mir Hossein Mousavi during the election of

2009. Why would this platform appeal to youth?

2. How did Zhara Rahnavard help her husband’s election campaign?

3. How did protestors use technology to communicate after the election results were announced?

4. What do the Supreme Leader and President have to worry about going into the next election?


IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENTThe Governments of Canada and IranCanada and Iran have very different government structures. Canada is clearly a democracy that sees power divided within a constitutional monarchy framework but with the power clearly resting with elected officials. On the other hand, Iran is often referred to as a quasi-democracy because the real power lies with unelected religious clerics, and only a small share of the power is in the hands of elected politicians. Take a look at the tables below and complete the activity that follows.

DefinitionTheocracy means “rule by God.” It refers to a state that is governed by religious leaders using religious teaching and laws.

Canada Iran

Type of Government Democracy Theocracy

Head of State Queen or King — represented by the Governor General (term appointment)

Supreme Leader (lifetime appointment)

Head of Government Prime Minister (elected) President (elected)

Administration Cabinet (drafts legislation that is then put before Parliament for a vote)

Council of Guardians (has the power to strike down laws passed by the National Assembly; also approves all candidates running for public office)

Legislature Parliament (elected) Majlis or National Assembly (elected)

Other government bodies Senate (“the house of sober second thought,” reviews and approves legislation passed in Parliament)

Assembly of Experts (composed of 86 clerics who monitor the performance of the Supreme Leader)

ActivityGo online and see if you can find out who currently holds key positions of power in the Canadian and Iranian governments. Just write the names of each person you discover in pencil beside the person’s position (e.g., Supreme Leader – Ayatollah Khamenei). For positions like the Canadian Cabinet and the Iranian Council of Guardians, see if you can find one or two names for each.


IRAN’S SUMMER OF DISCONTENTActivity: Driven to ProtestAt the height of the struggle between protestors and the Revolutionary Guard in the post-election frenzy in Iran, a young woman became the face of the protest movement. Neda Agha-Soltan was gunned down, apparently by a member of the Basij militia—a group under the direct control of the Revolutionary Guard. Her death was captured on video and posted on YouTube. People were appalled when they saw images of her last moments of life and directed their anger at the Iranian establishment in the form of more protests. The government responded by forbidding any commemoration of Agha-Soltan’s death and threatening to put a stop to anyone who attempted to make the young woman a martyr for the reformist cause.

Imagine that you are part of the reformist protest movement in Iran in the summer of 2009. You have just received a Twitter message reporting the death of a protestor and understand that a video of the event has been posted on YouTube. The government says that the video is a fake and that it was produced by the BBC and CNN. You are incensed.

How will you mobilize your fellow protestors to demonstrate against the government’s use of force against this innocent young woman?

Technology available:

• Cell phone – phone calls and text messaging• Video cameras • Internet – personal Web sites, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter

Your TaskMake a plan that outlines what you will do to help mobilize fellow protestors in Iran.

Your plan will be accepted in any of the following formats:

• Written report: two pages• Web site: two pages• Audio or video podcast: four to six minutes in length

NoteDuring the Islamic Revolution of 1979, protestors communicated by spray painting protest locations on the sides of buildings and shouting directions from the rooftops of Tehran. Even during the 2009 protests, when the government disrupted cell phone services and shut down Web sites, protestors spray painted information on cardboard to direct fellow activists to protest locations.


ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRETIntroductionImagine you have worked your entire life at an asbestos mine in your hometown. It is the best job in town and also pretty much the only job in town. You have given the best years of your life to the company and now your son is all set to follow in your footsteps. Life has treated you pretty well except that you’ve developed a hacking cough you can’t seem to shake. Your wife has not been feeling well either, so you both go to the doctor.

The doctor quietly tells you that you both have an incurable disease called mesothelioma. It is from the asbestos that you shovelled and sorted throughout your career. You are shocked—you had no idea that breathing asbestos in the mine would harm you. You are also confused about your wife’s diagnosis because she has never stepped foot in a mine. That is when the doctor tells you that just washing your work clothes exposed her to the fatal asbestos fibres.

Although this story is fictional, it could be the true story of any of the thousands of people who have worked with asbestos in Canada.

Asbestos has been mined in Canada since the late 1800s and was used in

everything from automotive brakes to textiles to children’s play dough. It was valued for its strength, versatility, and heat resistant properties. Canada was once the largest exporter of asbestos in the world. In the 1970s, however, Canada had to rethink its relationship with asbestos after information surfaced that asbestos fibres caused cancer.

Over the following decades, those in the asbestos industry, and those who made money from the asbestos industry, battled against critics who wanted to eliminate the use of asbestos. As health concerns continued to mount, the asbestos industry faced a mountain of lawsuits. By the 1990s, the United States government was so concerned about the health impacts from asbestos that the Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of most types of asbestos. The European Union soon followed suit, along with 40 other countries.

Bowing to international pressure, Canada has virtually stopped the use of asbestos within the country. It has not stopped producing asbestos, however, and is currently the only developed nation to globally promote and export asbestos.

FocusAsbestos is a mineral that was once widely used in the construction industry. But because it can cause severe lung problems, its use in this country is limited. Most asbestos produced in Canada is shipped to developing countries. In this News in Review story we look at how those sales are helping a dying industry in Canada but sickening and killing workers in countries like India.

Quote“All forms of asbestos are responsible for a high incidence of lung cancer and are so dangerous that a safe exposure level is unknown at this time.” — World Health Organization, 1988

To ConsiderHow do you think the asbestos miner and his wife felt when they found out they were dying? What if they found out their employer knew that breathing asbestos fibres could make people very ill and maybe even kill them? What do you think should be done for affected workers? What do you think should happen to companies who knowingly endanger their workers?



ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRETVideo Review

Pre-Viewing QuestionsBefore you watch this story, complete these questions in the spaces provided.

1. Is it right for businesses to sell items that they know will likely make people unhealthy? Why or why not?

2. We know that candy, pop, and other sugary foods are often used incorrectly (meaning we eat too much of them) and that this leads to health problems like obesity and diabetes. Should businesses that sell such products be liable if people who consume these foods incorrectly become sick? That is, should they be able to be sued? Or do you think that people themselves are responsible for what they put into their bodies?

3. Do you feel it is right for a country to sell a substance overseas that has been banned for use in another country? Why or why not?

Viewing QuestionsWatch the story and complete the following questions.

1. Name three things asbestos was/is used for.

2. Which Canadian province mines asbestos?

3. What country imported 40 million tonnes of asbestos last year?

4. Why have 40 countries already banned the production of asbestos?

5. What is asbestos-related disease referred to in India?

Further ResearchVisit the Web site of Ban Asbestos Network in India to learn more about concerns associated with asbestos: http://banasbestosindia.blogspot.com

Further ResearchVisit the Web site of the Chrysotile Institute, the voice of the asbestos industry, to learn more about its position on the safety and benefits of asbestos: www.chrysotile.com.


6. How much has the Canadian government spent to teach the public that chrysotile (or white) asbestos is safe when used properly?

7. What is wrong with the way asbestos is being handled by workers in India?

8. How many people die each year from asbestos-related diseases?

Post-Viewing QuestionsWork with a partner, or in a small group, to complete the following.

1. What facts did you find disturbing in the video and why?

2. What should Canada be doing if it is going to sell asbestos to other countries?

3. The asbestos industry creates many jobs in Canada, provides revenue for the Canadian government, and stimulates the Canadian economy. If asbestos production and export is completely banned in Canada, there will likely not be replacement jobs available for all those who are forced out of work. How do we balance the need for jobs and income with the ethics of producing and shipping a product that causes cancer?

4. What is the difference between allowing companies to sell pop and candy to Canadians and allowing companies to sell asbestos overseas? Is there a difference?


ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRETHistory of Asbestos As you read the following information, ask yourself in what ways asbestos has contributed to the economy of Canada and consider the role it has played in the lives of many Canadians and their local communities.

Did you know . . .Asbestos, Quebec, was the site of one of the most violent and bitter labour disputes in Quebec and Canadian history. At midnight on February 14, 1949, miners walked off the job at four asbestos mines in the Eastern Townships. The mines were owned by English-Canadian or American companies, and the workers were almost entirely francophone. The strike lasted for four months.

The Boom YearsCanada has had a long relationship with asbestos. First mined in Quebec in the 1870s, the industry thrived for about 100 years. Quebec had the world’s largest open pit mine—the Jeffrey Mine—which was located in the province’s Eastern Townships. The industry played such a significant role in Quebec that the province actually named a town—Asbestos—after it.

The world fell in love with asbestos. Its extremely strong fibres make it virtually indestructible and very versatile. It was woven into clothes, used in building insulation, and had roughly 4 000 other applications. Sadly, it was even mixed with children’s modelling dough.

By the end of the First World War, Canada had become the world’s largest supplier of asbestos, expanding operations to British Columbia and Newfoundland.

The Tide TurnsBy the late 1960s, it was apparent there was a problem with asbestos. More and more miners had shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, and were coughing up blood. Studies linking asbestos to diseases such as lung cancer, scarred lungs (asbestosis), and mesothelioma—cancer of the stomach and chest, which is only caused by exposure to asbestos—began to surface.

Twenty years later, the industry was in trouble. Quebec had become the centre of the asbestos controversy, and many customers began phasing out the mineral from their products. By 1985, three of

the six mines were closed. Capacity dropped from 300 000 tonnes (from the 1970s) to 70 000. Since 1979, production has declined 44 per cent, and thousands of workers have lost their jobs.

Support from the GovernmentIn the 1980s, the asbestos industry in Quebec tried to improve the tarnished image of asbestos that was destroying the industry. Backed by the Canadian government, the industry spent millions on research and to fight bans on the product at home and abroad. In 1984, Ottawa established the Asbestos Institute, a non-profit organization to promote the safe use of white asbestos.

But there is still money to be made, and since the mid-1980s the federal government has spent approximately $20-million promoting the safe and responsible use of chrysotile asbestos, now mined only in Quebec. MP Pat Martin, a former asbestos miner, has called this “corporate welfare for corporate serial killers” (Bob Sass, Briarpatch, November 2007). The Canadian Medical Association Journal in 2008 referred to Canada as “an avid asbestos cheerleader” and calls the last 25 years of Liberal and Conservative government support for the industry a “shameful manipulation of science” (“Canada an ‘avid cheerleader’ for asbestos,” cbc.ca, October 21, 2008) According to epidemiologist, Irving Selikoff, a world leader in asbestos research, approximately 270 000 people have died from asbestos-exposure injuries between 1980 and 2009 (Jock Ferguson, The Globe and Mail, January 25, 1986).

Quote“Most of these health hazards come from the past use of amphibole asbestos and from inappropriate practices such as sprayed-on insulation. These practices have been discontinued in Canada since the 1970s.” — Ministry of Natural Resources web site (“Asbestos: The magic mineral that was once Canada’s gold,” www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/10/f-asbestos-safety.html)


Exports to Developing NationsHealth concerns have resulted in the ban of asbestos in over 40 countries. But despite the decline in customers in developed nations, the market for asbestos has grown in developing nations. These new markets are valued at approximately $93-million a year. India is now Canada’s largest customer, buying about 25 per cent of the asbestos mined in Canada.

The Canadian government states that the asbestos industry does not export to

companies that do not use chrysotile in a safe manner. But Canada cannot regulate how asbestos is used in other countries. Many observers report that it is common to find workers in India shovelling heaps of asbestos while dressed in only shorts and flip flops. They wear no protective clothing or breathing apparatus. Author and consultant Barry Castleman claims, “Anyone who says there’s controlled use of asbestos in the Third World is either a liar or a fool” (The Globe and Mail, October 27, 2007).

DiscussionConsider all the ways that asbestos has contributed to the economy of Canada and the role it has played in the lives of many Canadians and their local communities. Will asbestos have the same impact on the economies and communities of developing nations? Why or why not?


ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRETThe Safety DebateAsbestos, once called a miracle mineral for its strength, versatility, and flame-retardant properties, is now considered to be a Class 1 carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). But what exactly is asbestos and is it really dangerous?

Asbestos is actually a naturally occurring mineral found on most of the Earth’s continents. The mineral is composed of extremely strong fibres that can be spun or woven to produce such items as asphalt, cement, shingles, insulation, brake lines, furnaces, and textiles.

Types of AsbestosThere are two basic types of asbestos: amphibole and serpentine. By the 1980s it was universally agreed that amphibole asbestos was deadly—and it was banned worldwide. The type of asbestos made in Canada is chrysotile, from the serpentine family. The only form of asbestos still mined and sold in the world today is chrysotile. It is estimated that the amount of asbestos used around the world is about two million metric tonnes per year.

Is it safe?There are varying reports about the safety of chrysotile. There are those who have argued, and continue to argue, that chrysotile is completely harmless. In 1983, for example, Ontario’s Royal Commission on Asbestos, in “Asbestos in Buildings,” concluded that “. . . public fear of exposure to asbestos in schools, office buildings, and drinking water was unfounded.” And in 1985, former MP Robert Layton claimed that he would like to put chrysotile in his coffee to prove how safe it was (Charlotte Montgomery, The Globe and Mail, October 5, 1985).

The World Health Organization, however, disagrees. In 1998 it stated that all forms of asbestos were linked to lung cancer and that there is no safe exposure level. In 2007, the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works voted for a complete ban on asbestos use. In July 2007, the Canadian Cancer Society issued its own statement calling for Canada to stop exporting chrysotile to developing nations because of its link to asbestos-related diseases.

Those who support the continued production and export of asbestos argue that previous health problems associated with asbestos occurred during a time where knowledge about the safe handling of possibly toxic products did not exist. They also argue that current safety standards mean that those who do work with asbestos are protected. Furthermore, supporters argue that with proper handling chrysotile asbestos is safe and has an important role to play in the economy of developing nations.

The Chrysotile Institute represents the Canadian asbestos industry. The institute was organized to market the safe handling and use of chrysotile asbestos to global markets, and it claims that this type of asbestos is valuable and safe when used properly. The following quote is taken from the Chrysotile Institute Newsletter (December, 2008): “. . . in 1993, the World Health Organization determined that there was no clear evidence that drinking water distributed in asbestos cement pipes constituted a health risk. What should be known about aqueduct pipes in emerging countries is that the lack of drinking water is responsible for eight million deaths per year, of which 50 per cent are children, that the main diseases related to the

Did you know . . .Currently 96 per cent of the asbestos produced in Canada is used to make asbestos cement for construction in the developing world. — Canadian Medical Association Journal, October 21, 2008


absence of drinking water are diarrhea, cholera, malaria, and typhoid. Over one billion people do not have convenient and affordable access to drinking water when chrysotile can offer this possibility.”

Critics of the asbestos industry argue that chrysotile is extremely dangerous, and that it is wrong to export this product to developing nations when its use in Canada is extremely limited. Gopal Krishna, of the Ban Asbestos Network of India, argues: “The chrysotile asbestos, if it safe, why is it not used in Canada? Why did the House of Commons get decontaminated of chrysotile asbestos? Use it safely in Canada and then preach to the rest of the world that it can be safely used. This is the height of hypocrisy that you don’t use it

yourself and tell others to use it safely” (“Asbestos: Canada’s Ugly Secret,” CBC, August 2009).

Although chrysotile asbestos is being used in some countries, over 40 countries have completely banned all forms of the mineral, including the European Union, Australia, and Chile. To date, Canada, Russia, Iran, and Kyrgyzstan have been successful in keeping chrysotile asbestos off the United Nation’s list of banned substances. The Rotterdam Convention, which controls trade in the world’s most hazardous chemicals and pesticides, gives countries the right to be informed about, and to refuse, extremely hazardous chemicals and pesticides. Chrysotile is still not listed on the Rotterdam Convention’s list.

Analysis 1. Is asbestos safe? The material you’ve just read presents information on

both sides of this issue. How do we determine which side is most correct?

2. One way you can determine how credible, or believable, a statement is is to look carefully at who the speaker is and what their affiliation or credentials are. For example, the Chrysotile Institute is the voice of the asbestos industry. So it is not surprising that the quote above says that chrysotile is safe and has many benefits. This does not mean that the information is incorrect, but we are right to be cautious of any claims the institute makes.

In your notebook, write down a selection of quotes from this feature and analyze the credibility of the information and the speaker. Based on your analysis, decide which two or three seem the strongest.


ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRETAsbestos by the NumbersAs you read the information in this feature, ask yourself which information could be used to create a pamphlet or poster about this issue.

Asbestos around the World• The world’s use of asbestos is around

two million metric tonnes per year.• Russia produces 40 per cent of the

world’s asbestos, employing over 500 000 people.

• India is the world’s biggest importer of asbestos (India imported 306 000 metric tonnes of asbestos in 2006, about 153 000 metric tonnes from Russia, 64 000 metric tonnes from Canada, 49 000 metric tonnes from Kazakhstan, and 35 000 metric tonnes from Brazil).

• Asbestos is used in over 3 000 products, including asphalt, cement, rakes, roof shingles, thermal clothing, insulation, thermal and acoustic protection, paints, cardboard, paper, suspended ceilings, filters, clutches, wall coverings, boilers, and furnaces.

• Used for over 100 years, fibre cement pipes contain approximately 90 per cent cement and 10 per cent chrysotile fibres.

Asbestos and Health• The most common diseases caused

by asbestos exposure are malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that affects the thin membranes lining the abdomen and chest, and lung cancer. Other common diseases directly linked to asbestos exposure are asbestosis, a nonmalignant disease that causes scarring of the lung tissue, and asbestos pleural disease, a nonmalignant disease that causes scarring of the thin membranes lining the lung and chest. Asbestos can also cause cancer of the digestive tract,

colon, larynx, esophagus, kidney, and some types of lymphoma.

• It can take from 10 to 40 years or more for symptoms of an asbestos-related condition to appear.

• In 1993, the World Heath Organization (WHO) determined that there was no clear evidence that drinking water distributed in asbestos cement pipes constituted a health risk.

• The International Labour Organization has calculated that over 100 000 people worldwide suffer premature deaths from asbestos-related cancers and disease each year.

• The WHO estimates between five and 10 million people will ultimately die from asbestos-related diseases.

• One study found that nearly 70 per cent of World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers suffered new or worsened respiratory symptoms while performing work at the World Trade Center site.

History of Health Concerns• In 1898, British factory inspectors

warned that asbestos “easily demonstrated danger to the health of workers (Toronto Star, August 16, 2008).

• In 1918, life insurance companies refused to insure asbestos workers.

• In the early 1900s Ontario and Quebec legislators passed laws to prevent workers from suing for health damage if they accepted workers’ compensation.

• In 1930, a report was tabled in the British Parliament that linked asbestos

Did you know . . .Concerns about asbestos date back to first century Rome with the writings of Roman senator Pliny. He observed that slaves who wove with asbestos were often sick.


fibres to fibrosis of the lungs. Asbestos company physicians made choices beginning in that time period to not tell employees they were ill or facing terrible health consequences. (The Globe and Mail, January 25, 1986).

• In the 1970s the dangers associated with working with asbestos came to the forefront of public concern.

Asbestos and Canada • Mining of chrysotile deposits started in

Quebec in 1878. • Canada sells 95 per cent of its asbestos

to developing nations where workplace safety is virtually non-existent.

• Canada’s best customer is India (25 per cent of all exports).

• The federal government is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to remove asbestos from the Parliament Buildings because it is considered to be dangerous to health.

• At it’s peak, the industry employed thousands in Quebec, British Columbia, and Newfoundland.

• The industry currently employs fewer than 500 workers in Quebec.

• The industry currently accounts for $93-million a year in export revenue.

• Over the past 20 years, the federal government has given the Chrysotile Institute over $20-million (the Chrysotile Institute lobbies for the safe and responsible use of asbestos in developing nations).

ActivityDesign a pamphlet, series of pamphlets, or a poster that will inform others about this issue. Make sure you incorporate visual images, or the use of colour effectively, to increase the impact of your product.

You might be able to display your products in the foyer of your school to increase public awareness of this issue.


ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRETInternational Asbestos Sales ControversyThe asbestos industry generates wealth in Canada and provides jobs for many Canadians. But there is a significant body of medical research that identifies asbestos as a carcinogen and a serious health hazard. This body of research has resulted in the Canadian government virtually halting the use of asbestos in this country. Yet the government allows, and even encourages, the export of asbestos to developing nations.

Not surprisingly, this issue generates great controversy and heated debate. As you read the following quotes, identify whether or not each supports the international sale of asbestos and record the main piece of evidence used in the argument.

“The commercial tactics of the asbestos industry are very similar to those of the tobacco industry. The asbestos industry is progressively transferring its commercial activities and the health hazards to developing countries.” — Dr. Irving Selikoff quoted in an article by Andre Picard, The Globe and Mail, February 20, 2001 Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“It is better that society use its limited financial resources in learning how to live safely with this valuable material than in attempting to remove it totally from the environment. Physicians and others in medicine and biology, on the other hand, must continue to drive home to the public the far greater causes of morbidity, such as smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, improper diet, and inadequate exercise.” — J. Amer, Report by the council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association, 1991Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“The question of health is less of an issue where the life expectancy is only 35.” — Daniel Perlstein, former head of Quebec’s Crown asbestos corporation, in an article by Charlotte Montgomery, The Globe and Mail, October 5, 1985Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“Today’s asbestos industry, with all its modern protection techniques, is absolutely harmless. There hasn’t been one case of asbestos-caused disease for many years in Asbest, Russia, which has the world’s largest asbestos factory. Locally produced asbestos does not cause any harm.” — Tatiana Kochetova of the Asbest-based Institute Asbestos Project, a state-run scientific organization that studies the asbestos mineral, quoted in an article by Dmitry Bulgakov, The Russia Journal, September 9, 2009 Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________


“Canada and Russia’s objections to listing chrysotile asbestos are embarrassingly self-interested, protecting domestic exporters interested in selling this dangerous chemical abroad. Chrysotile unequivocally meets the Rotterdam Convention’s requirements, and those governments opposing its listing blatantly disregard the treaty obligations.” — Clifton Curtis, Director of the Global Toxics Program of the Worldwide Wildlife Fund, in a 2004 press release Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“To continue to do what we have been doing means that we are putting local political considerations and our desire for dollars over the health of Canadian workers and the welfare of the vulnerable people in those economically needy and unregulated nations that are most easily persuaded to buy our toxic mineral. Canada must stop the mining, processing, and selling asbestos, after setting up a mechanism to preserve the security and dignity of its asbestos workers.” — Toronto Star editorial, September 21, 2004Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“We do not believe that the science suggests or indicates that asbestos cannot be used safely. We will do everything that we can, given our limited resources, to ensure and to promote its safe use.” — Gary Nash, assistant deputy minister of the Canadian Department of Natural Resources, in an interview with Ginny Stein, September 29, 2004, www.asbestosnetwork.comSupportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“Asbestos was an early victim of junk science and enviro-fear propaganda. Had the top floors contained asbestos the towers would have stood for four hours, saving 5 000 lives.” — Professor Art Robinson, founder of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, after the collapse the of World Trade Center towers in New York on September 11, 2001, The Wall Street Journal, October 10, 2001Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“All forms of asbestos, including chrysotile asbestos, are carcinogenic. This is the view of every independent organization that has examined the health risks of asbestos, including the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Environmental Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Collegium Ramazzini, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Medical Association Journal, The Lancet, the International Labour Organization (ILO).” — Right On Canada, Canadian public advocacy network (www.rightoncanada.ca/?p=369)Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________


“We have known about the hazards of asbestos exposure for nearly 70 years, and the evidence today that exposure to asbestos of all forms causes cancer and asbestosis is incontrovertible. Governments that attempt to suppress science and scientists do so at the peril of damaging their credibility in the international community. I call on the Canadian government to ban asbestos, as the World Health Organization has urged.” — Dr. Leslie Stayner, Director of the Univeristy of Illinois School of Public Health (www.rightoncanada.ca)Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“In Canada, in the U.S., in Europe, in pretty well every developed country, we have gone to great lengths to not use it at all or in only the very, very smallest quantities because in advanced countries, it can’t really be used safely. And then we think that in India it’s going to be used safely? What nonsense. . . . They really are merchants of death. It’s as simple as that.” — Amir Attaran, Canadian Medical Association Journal Editorial Board member and Canadian Research Chair in Global Development Policy at the University of OttawaSupportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________

“It is better that society use its limited financial resources in learning how to live safely with this valuable material than in attempting to remove it totally from the environment . . . we have the most essential facts and, if anything, we should surely be encouraging the search for and exploitation of chrysotile which, free from amphiboles, is a remarkably safe and valuable natural resource.” — Chrysotile Institute Newsletter, December 2008Supportive of international asbestos sales? Yes ____ No ____

Reason: _____________________________________________________________


ASBESTOS: CANADA’S UGLY SECRETActivity: Should Canada stop selling asbestos?

Your TaskWrite an opinion paragraph to answer the question: Should Canada stop selling asbestos to other nations? You are expected to include sufficient evidence (four or five points) in your paragraph to support your position. Be prepared to share your paragraph with your classmates.

Getting StartedBefore you begin to write your opinion paragraph, complete the chart below with point-form notes. To help you complete the chart, you may wish to:

• Review some of the information in this resource guide.

• Watch this News in Review video a second time.

Asbestos Fact Summary Chart

Facts FOR the sale and use of asbestos

Facts AGAINST the sale and use of asbestos

Health issues related to the use and export of asbestos

Economic issues related to the use and export of asbestos

Ethics related to the use and export of asbestos

Your own subtopic


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News in Review IndexA list of the stories covered last season and to date in the current season is provided below.

The complete chronological index for all 19 seasons of News in Review, and a subject-oriented index listing News in Review stories appropriate for various subject areas can be accessed through our Web site at http://newsinreview.cbclearning.ca. Hard copies of these indexes can also be obtained by contacting CBC Learning.

CBC LearningP.O. Box 500, Station AToronto, Ontario, Canada M5W 1E6Tel: (416) 205-6384Fax: (416) 205-2376E-mail: [email protected]

FEBRUARY 2009The Conservatives and the CoalitionCanadians, Credit Cards, and DebtThe Terrorist Attack on MumbaiWhen It’s Cool to Be Kind

MARCH 2009Barack Obama Visits CanadaCanada Gets a Recession BudgetGuantanamo Bay and Omar KhadrAfghanistan: A Soldier’s Story

APRIL 2009Hard Times Hit the Auto IndustryThe Future of the Oil SandsWhite Dragons: The Killer AvalanchesThe Flight of the Silver Dart

MAY 2009The Recession and the Developing WorldAfghanistan and the Rights of WomenThe Decline of the Traditional MediaHockey Players and Life Lessons

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