By STEPHEN MAHER Ottawa Bureau

Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt blames her brother’s death from lung cancer on industrial pollution in Cape Breton, but the federal government is fighting other cancer patients who claim pollution has made them sick.

Ms. Raitt’s repeated comments show that the federal policy of denying a link doesn’t make sense, says Raymond Wagner, a Halifax lawyer who represents hundreds of Cape Bretoners whose families have been touched by cancer.

In January, Ms. Raitt told The Chronicle Herald that her brother’s death inspired her to earn a master’s degree in chemistry. "My brother Colin . . . he worked in the coke ovens in Whitney Pier," she said. "That’s what my master’s is in, PCBs and dioxins, because those were the cancer-causing agents that, in my opinion, caused his lung cancer and he died at 36." She acknowledged that he smoked, but she said she blamed his death on chemicals. "I’m going to go with PCBs."

In the fall, she made a similar statement to the Toronto Star.

If Ms. Raitt really believes that, she should urge her government to stop fighting her fellow Cape Bretoners who are suing for compensation, said Mr. Wagner. "Her declaration seems to be contradictory to the adversarial position established by the federal Crown," he said. "It’s exactly what we’ve been saying all along, and it’s exactly what the federal government has been denying."

Mr. Wagner represents 400 Cape Bretoners who believe their cancer, or the cancer suffered by someone in their families, was caused by the tar ponds and related industrial pollution in Sydney. In order to proceed with a class-action lawsuit, which would allow Mr. Wagner to represent cancer victims whom he hasn’t signed up, he needs his case to be certified by the courts, a process he says the federal government has been "obstructing" for more than five years.

Ms. Raitt’s statements should lead the federal government to reconsider its position, he said. "You have somebody who knows the science, who is in a public position, is making a declaration (about) her own brother, whom she knows died of cancer," he said. "I think that she should be going down to talk to the prime minister about this, and tell them exactly what she thinks."

The death of Ms. Raitt’s brother came to greater public attention when she mentioned him last week in her televised tearful apology for calling the medical isotope crisis "sexy," on a recording obtained by The Chronicle Herald. Ms. Raitt had no comment on Tuesday about her public statements about the cause of her brother’s cancer. "Because this involves potential legal action, the minister does not have any comment to offer," said spokesman Steve Outhouse in an email.

The federal government maintains that it is impossible to show a link between individual cancer cases and industrial pollution in Cape Breton. The federal Justice Department did not respond on Tuesday to requests for comment or details about the lawsuit.

Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking said Tuesday that it’s unwise for a cabinet minister to speak as Ms. Raitt has done. "She has to be very careful about where she’s going because she’s a member of cabinet," he said. "Whatever she does or says, she’s speaking on behalf of Canadians."

( smaher@herald.ca)