Canadian military accused of Agent Orange cover up

Thursday, June 23, 2005 

Canadian military officials are being accused of covering up the use of the deadly chemical agent Agent Orange and other defoliants during the 1950s and 1960s at a New Brunswick base.

At a public meeting attended by at least 200 people, defence officials said only a small amount of the herbicide was used, over a total of seven days between 1966 and 1967 at the army base to clear foliage to prevent fires during artillery training and to clear the view for soldiers.

The American military was also given permission by the Canadian military to test Agent Orange, Agent Purple, and Agent White during the Vietnam War on less than 500 acres of the Canadian base.

Thursday’s public meeting followed in the aftermath of recent media reports that a U.S. army report indicated the use of Agent Purple, which is considered three-times more toxic than Agent Orange, as part of the spraying program.

When revelations about the use of Agent Purple first surfaced in mid-June, retired sergeant, Earl Graves, said, “They were out in the exercise area and the planes flew over spraying and they were told to just put ponchos over their head, that it wouldn’t hurt them.”

He said 170 soldiers in his regiment died of cancer and many of them died young.

At the public meeting held Thursday afternoon, angry and fearful civilians and veterans voiced fears that the chemicals were responsible for illnesses later developed.

Veteran John Chisholm said soldiers were told the sprays were harmless and to keep their mouths shut. “Now we found out this stuff here is killing us. No wonder all my buddies are dead.”

The Defence Department said Thursday that it was conducting tests to determine the dioxin level in the soil and consulting with the U.S. military to find out the exact carcinogen levels in the sprays used.

Sources

• "N.B. army base sprayed with toxic chemicals" — CBC, June 13, 2005

• "Military accused of lying about Agent Orange" — CBC, June 23, 2005

• "Accusations hurled at Agent Orange briefing" — Canadian Press, June 23, 2005
  

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