After years of research and intense lobbying for awareness and recognition of the dangers of McIntyre Powder, Janice Martel was pleased to hear an official apology in the Ontario Legislature on Wednesday.
Martel has been leading the fight to have it officially recognized that the powder was a harmful product that has caused Parkinson's Disease and other neurological disorders. Martel's father, Jim Hobbs, was a former Elliot Lake miner who developed Parkinson's Disease. Hobbs died in 2017.
The apology, delivered by Ontario Labour Minister Monte McNaughton, was to acknowledge the black aluminum powder was forced upon generations of Northern Ontario gold miners and uranium miners and was the wrong course of action.
"We are truly sorry," said McNaughton.
In fact, McNaughton said the current government in Ontario has officially recognized that Parkinson's Disease is formally recognized as an occupational disease for purposes of workers' compensation.
The powder was introduced to the McIntyre Gold Mine in Timmins on Nov. 30, 1943, at a time when researchers and some medical doctors believed inhaling the powder would prevent silicosis, the lung disease associated with inhaling rock dust in the mines.
The powder was developed by company doctors and scientists with The McIntyre Research Foundation. It was believed the powder was harmless at the time. The miners were told it would coat their lungs, preventing rock dust from taking hold. The idea was that it would cause miners to cough up black sputum and rid their lungs of any silica-laden rock dust.
The powder was in use from 1943 to 1979 when it was realized that the powder was not helping the miners and it was discontinued. It was used by more than 25,000 miners at mining operations across Northern Ontario.
As part of the Queen's Park event, Sudbury MPP Jamie West introduced Janice Martel who was in the public gallery. As he did, several MPPs gave Martel a standing ovation.
West also introduced several Northern Ontario miners and their families who attended the Queen's Park event to hear the apology.
McNaughton stood in the legislature to voice what he said was an apology that was "long overdue."
As he revealed the details of how miners were told to inhale the powder before starting their daily shift, McNaughton said the miners had to inhale the black dust as a condition of employment.
"They didn't have a choice," he said. "It was supposed to keep them safe. For the miners and families here today, this means not only faster compensation, but equally as important, recognition."
Following McNaugton's statement, West responded to the minister, reminding the house the apology was coming from all parties and all members of the legislature.
After that McNaughton rose again and asked the permission of the legislature for a moment of silence in tribute to the miners and their families for their suffering. No one objected. The entire legislature stood for nearly two minutes of silence.
Len Gillis covers mining and health care for Sudbury.com.