Thursday, August 13, 1998                                                                                                        The Halifax Herald Limited

Residents walk out of meeting
                       By TERA CAMUS 

                       Sydney - Frederick Street residents stormed out of a meeting Wednesday night with
                       provincial Health and Environment officials.
                           "This is a joke, and I won't put up with it," said resident Debbie Ouellette as she walked out.
                       "We will fight until we win."
                           The community meeting in Whitney Pier was called to explain the results of blood and hair
                       samples taken a few weeks ago from the residents who live near the Sydney coke ovens.
                           The residents walked out 15 minutes after the meeting began after Health officials, including
                       provincial chief medical officer Dr. Jeff Scott, said they would not suffer any long-term effects
                       from living near the toxic waste site.
                           Several people who attended the meeting left in tears.
                           "They're saying there's no problem. I can't accept that. I can't accept it and I won't accept it,"
                       Juanita McKenzie, spokeswoman for residents, said. Her daughter, 18, is suffering from her
                       third kidney infection and is urinating blood. She said her husband is also ill.
                           Residents said they intend to hire lawyers and toxicologists to prove they need to be
                       relocated.
                           Ron McDonald doesn't know where they will get the money. But he asked,"When your
                       government can't do anything for you, where do you turn, except legal action and your own
                       testing?"
                           The test results showed one person out of the 40 tested had unacceptable levels of toxins.
                       All others had the same levels of arsenic, lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other
                       inorganic compounds in their systems. Those levels were just under the maximum acceptable
                       limit.
                           At a media briefing, Dr. Scott said he was disappointed that residents left the meeting. He will
                       make his recommendations within the next few days.
Return to Muggah Creek 
 
 
 
Read all about the plight of the residents of Frederick Street, Whitney Pier, Sydney, Nova Scotia
 
Contact Juanita McKenzie, spokesperson for Frederick Street
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