Health Canada, the Provincial Health Officer, the Media/communication breakdown

I would like to address some problems I have noticed lately in our chain of command with regards to public health and communication.

 

As you may be aware, the Pacific Coast of North America has been somewhat nervous lately regarding the horrific disaster in Japan and the possible fallout [repurcussions, if you prefer] for the Pacific Rim in general.  We have come to realise as residents of the ring of fire, that we all inhabit the same ecosystem.  That Corporations may not be entrusted with the public welfare, globally.  The news organisations have neglected to do their work.  The Public Health Officials have abandoned their posts.

 

Health Canada, according to the CBC.

 

Health Canada says its monitoring stations are detecting a “minuscule” increase in radiation levels along the B.C. coast in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan.

Canadian health officials are reassuring the public there’s no need to fear fallout from Japan, but some residents of B.C. remain nervous.

The Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Perry Kendall, was even less helpful.  It wasn’t until March 23rd that he issued a statement that was very patriarichal in tone.  In both cases, the information was not easy to track down and very slow coming online.  Things are gradually improving in a very limited way.

Meanwhile, the people on the west coast of North America, lacking real data or meaningful communications from regulatory bodies they used to trust, turn to the internet for knowledge.  Washington State records radioactive iodine in milk, which prompts BC Dairy Farmers to beg Health Canada to test our milk, according to the CBC this morning.

Traces of iodine-131 were found in the milk at concentrations that are 5,000 times below levels considered dangerous, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday…

…That has prompted Robin Smith, executive director of the B.C. Milk Producers Association, to call on government agencies to help reassure the public.

“We would have great peace of mind if a reputable authority, the CFIA, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, or our own Centre for Disease Control, tested some milk off the shelf and said, ‘Hey, there’s nothing in this product.’”

Farmers and gardeners are begging for information, recommendations and regulation.  Agriculture Canada is no help.  Agri-food?  Really?  No wonder we don’t trust the government!  The website is so far removed from all that makes farming good, it’s ridiculous!

In retrospect, I can’t help but come to the conclusion that the forces of evil (aka, the Harper Government) want to send a clear message to Canadians.  Perhaps Dr. Kendall sums it up for all of us…

“Finally, I would like to suggest that people take this tragedy as a reminder to ensure that they are prepared for a similar emergency here in B.C. Check that your emergency preparedness kit is well stocked, and discuss emergency plans with your family”.

*Saturday update;  The CFIA has announced that it will not be testing any Dairy products in BC, despite pleas from the Milk producers, according to the Victoria Times Colonist today.  The other news organisations have no Japan updates.  I guess it fell off the news cycle.  Check back later, I’m working on a related story…