FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2001
Ontario responds to bioterrorism
by laying off top biohazard scientists
TORONTO – The Ontario government is laying
off the last five scientists in the Ministry of Health who have expertise
in dealing with life-threatening biohazards.
Dr. Ching Lo chaired the 1999 LABOntario
conference, “Terrorism and the laboratory of the future.” Catherine Smitka
received the prestigious Amethyst Award from Premier Mike Harris for her
groundbreaking work on infectious diseases. In the mid-1990s, Dr. Martin
Preston developed the method for fingerprinting the E.coli O157 bacterium
made famous by the Walkerton tragedy. Dr. Norma Harnett is a noted expert
on antibiotic-resistant “superbugs.” Dr. Stephen Wang is an expert on
chemical toxins.
Surplus notices for the four
microbiologists and the Ministry’s last remaining biochemist take effect
on Thursday, Oct. 18. The Health Ministry will lose 150 years of
scientific experience.
“With public health and safety at risk as
never before, Ontarians need these people now more than ever,” said Leah
Casselman, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. “These
are the people who can take proactive steps to deal with biohazards before
they endanger public health. Laying them off is an outrageous display of
this government’s managerial incompetence, its ignorance of public
services, and its blatant disregard for public safety.
“After Walkerton and after the terrorist
attacks in the United States, you would think these Tories would be awake
by now,” she said. “Instead, they have traded a public health protection
plan for a public health business plan. This is completely unacceptable,
to all Ontarians.”
In the wake of the Common Sense Revolution,
Ontario is the only province in Canada whose public health lab is not
directed and led by scientists.
Casselman called on Health Minister Tony
Clement to rescind the layoffs and demanded that the Ontario government
establish a bioterrorism response unit based out of the P-4
maximum-containment-level lab at 81 Resources Road in Etobicoke. That
world class lab now sits empty and unused due to program reductions.
The surplused scientists are members of
OPSEU Local 545.
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For more information: Randy Robinson (416)
448-7441; (416) 788-9134
Tracey Mussett (416) 788-9213
