Going in-depth on miners' health: McIntyre Powder intake clinic scheduled for Timmins in May.

• Author: Kelly, Lindsay
• Position: NEWS - McIntyre Mines Ltd

Janice Martell knew that going national with her quest to get compensation for miners who had inhaled McIntyre Powder would get some attention, but she was bowled over by the response after CBC aired her story earlier this year.

On Jan. 29, CBC's Fifth Estate program broadcast Miner's Daughter, a follow-up to the show's original look at the issue, Powder Keg, which aired in 1979.

"Since the Fifth Estate aired, I've been spending virtually every night, several hours a night, just answering peoples' messages," Martell marvelled.

Some contacts have simply been wishing her well in her endeavour. But dozens of miners and their relatives have contacted her asking how they can get on her voluntary registry, which chronicles the health issues of mine workers who were exposed to McIntyre Powder during the course of their employment.

"I'm hearing from people that I otherwise, would not have heard from had it not gone national," Martell said. "So that's been really good."

McIntyre Powder--finely ground aluminum dust--was administered to miners in mines across Canada from 1943 to 1979.

Developed by mine executives as a preventive measure against silicosis, the practice was discontinued after preliminary tests showed not only that it failed as a prophylactic, but that miners who inhaled the dust demonstrated greater cognitive impairment. No follow-up research has been done after the practice stopped.

There's never been a causal relationship made between McIntyre Powder and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but Martell hopes that will change this spring.

On May 11 and 12 in Timmins, the United Steelworkers (USW) union, in conjunction with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) and the Office of the Worker Advisor (OWA), is holding an intake clinic to glean more information from workers who've been impacted by McIntyre Powder.

Sylvia Boyce, the USW's health and safety co-ordinator for District 6, said the union answered Martell's call for greater research into the issue because the health and safety, and protection of all workers is a union priority.

"If you're able to identify the occupational diseases, illnesses and injuries, only then are you able to prevent or control them," Boyce said.

"That's really what our ultimate goal is: we want to be able to seek compensation for those workers who suffered adverse health effects that were related to their occupational...