Agent Orange Used In New Brunswick

[Said1]

Accusations hurled at Agent Orange briefing

Thursday, June 23, 2005 Updated at 3:18 PM EDT

Canadian Press

CFB Gagetown — Federal officials trying to calm fears about the use of defoliants at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown were confronted by anger and impatience from people who believe they were harmed by the chemicals.

Officials with the Defence Department and Veterans' Affairs repeated their assertion that the testing of Agent Orange and other defoliants at the New Brunswick base in 1966 and 67 was small scale, carefully controlled and unlikely to cause harm to civilians living outside the base.

The officials also told a public meeting at CFB Gagetown, attended by at least 200 people, that the health effects of exposure to the powerful defoliants remain unclear.

“It is an area of ongoing scientific research,” said Karen Ellis, an assistant deputy minister with the Defence Department.

“We accept that these substances were not harmless, the real issue is how many people were affected and to what degree.”

Continued