Tory MP calls on Bell to remove ‘intolerable’ cellular tower in riding

Tory MP calls on Bell to remove ‘intolerable’ cellular tower in riding

kristykirkup - June 16th, 2012

A Tory MP has sounded the alarm about the safety of a cellular tower located near residential homes and a daycare in his riding of Oakville, Ont.

Terence Young stood in the House of Commons this week to ask Bell Canada to remove the powerful cellular antennae immediately.

Bell Canada has placed powerful antennae 11 metres from a child’s bedroom and over the heads of our fighters and refuses to remove them. This is intolerable…I say to the president of Bell Canada, Mr. George Cope: Tear down those antennae.

But Bell isn’t prepared to back down and communications representative Jason Laszlo maintains the company is following federal guidelines.

To meet local demand for enhanced wireless service, we simply added equipment to a pre-existing communications tower…we consulted with Halton Regional Police who operate the tower and then secured approvals from Industry Canada.

In May, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified electromagnetic radiation (EMR) as “possibly
carcinogenic.”

In a letter to his constituents, Young said he wants to see stricter federal regulations in Canada and vowed to consider introducing a private member’s bill on the issue.

There is no broadly based consensus regarding proof that EMR from cellular antennae on towers is a serious health risk, but I believe in the precautionary principle when it comes to your health: Better safe than sorry.

Dr. Magda Havas, who studies environmental contaminants at Trent University, says Canadians have the right to know about antennae in their area.

You should be informed that an antenna is coming in to your neighbourhood and you should have the ability to say yes or no,” she said. “We are not allowing people to have a say in this. It just doesn’t make any sense in a democratic society.

Companies currently have to issue an advisory to municipalities if a tower is more than 15 meters high, but Havas says shorter – and possibly more
dangerous towers – are being put up without notice.

NDP health critic Libby Davies agrees federal intervention is needed.

The status quo is completely unsatisfactory…people have no recourse to respond to a unilateral decision by telecommunications companies to put these towers up.

http://blogs.canoe.ca/eyeonthehill/general/tory-mp-calls-on-bell-to-remove-intolerable-cellular-tower-in-riding/#more-73811