Canadian radiation monitoring?
According to this article (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/05/09/bc-radiation-monit...) radiation monitoring by the government in Canada is being scaled back. Are there no scientific university (or otherwise) groups in Canada with the hardware to do their own independent readings and reporting? The Canadian public would be greatly indebted in this time of need.


I have been following Health
I have been following Health Canada too and I have a question about the figures. Does anyone know why on the air monitoring figures sometimes they fill in 0.0, sometimes they use a dash and sometimes they leave it blank. Does one mean none detected, one less than mda, etc? And which one is which? I can't see the information on the website.
Thanks.
I have been following health
I found a great radiation monitor. Rad alert is an iphone app that monitors the world radiation levels and its completely free.
hope this helps
I have tried to get
I have tried to get monitoring data here in Canada now for a month. I have posted about this a couple of times here. We need to push for this, and I need help, for I seem to be the only one so far. This with news that reactors 2& 3 may also be in meltdown (or done with it).
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/meltdown-may-have-occur...
A month ago, I contacted all media, political candidates, governments and SFU about my concern about lack of consistent monitoring data for water, food and soil here (and, at the time, air monitoring data. That appeared a few days before the end of federal elections on Health Canada website). I understand SFU is doing some sampling of rain water and seaweed (my phone calls to Prof. Starosta were never returned), but nothing is communicated publicly, and it certainly does not seem to be systematic or consistent monitoring.
I am still waiting for a response by Health Canada about their "weekly" air monitoring data that was available on May 12, before the week of May 8-14 was over (think for yourselves what that may mean).
So, fellow Canadians; phone Health Canada, the provincial health and disease prevention agencies, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (for testing of foods imported from Japan), the local governments who are providing drinking water, your MPs and MLAS... and ask them that you want
1. daily air radionuclid reports on Health Canada's website, 2. consistent monitoring with publicly available results of radionuclids in water (rain and drinking water), soil and foods, particularly bioaccummulating foods such as milk, leafy greens and seafood, including seaweed.
I don't deal well with lack (or worse, hiding) of facts, especially those directly and seriously impacting my health. But that seems to be exactly what's been ordered from above and what many people want. Much easier to sleep for them than for me, I suppose.
I heard McMaster University
I heard McMaster University in Hamilton has their own reactor, they should know a thing or too, whether they release the information is another story, but I bet their students are involved with testing of the current situation.
As for the Canadian Government posting mid-week they say right on their website that "The weekly report will include an average daily dose calculated mid week from monitoring stations across Canada".
For that information check here in the paragraphs above the May Results...
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/ed-ud/respond/nuclea/data-donnees-eng.php
As for contacts, you could try sending an e-mail to Mr. Starosta instead of phoning at starosta@sfu.ca
You may also try contacting CUPE Ontario Regional Office
Attention Donna Wright
305 Milner Avenue, Suite 800,
Toronto, Ontario, M1B 3V4
Tel: (416) 292-3999
Fax: (416) 292-2839
E-mail dowright@cupe.ca
She may be able to put you in touch with some like minded individuals.
Also try contacting the Ontario and BC Federation of Labour, and all the e-mails on this link... http://www.ohcow.on.ca/contactus/contact_us.html
Tell them you have concerns about the current radiation hazards in air, food and water, and ask for some contacts on any activists that deal with Asbestos, they will likely be receptive of your cause.
Also send a request for information and contacts regarding radiation here...
http://www.nupge.ca/healthandsafety/HSNominees2.htm
Although these people mostly deal with Occupational Exposures, most are well aware and knowledgeable on the hazards that radiation poses. They also have a very large lobby network in Canada, get them involved and nothing but good should result.
Let me know how it works out, it is a noble concern!
Thanks so much for all this
Thanks so much for all this information, JFP. I did speak with Health Canada Dosimetry office, and the reported mid-week values are not calculated averages for that week, but the values measured on a Wednesday. Apparently, they do not have the resources to continue to publish daily data, which I find deplorable. This is one activity to which I would gladly see my tax dollars flow.
Concerned about the higher than before gamma levels measured in Seattle on May 16 and what that meant for Vancouver, I found out that May 16 was, along with March 21, the highest value for Vancouver also since Fukushima reporting started (0.51 micro Sievert), but still within back-ground level fluctuations (0.59 was the max in 2010 for Vancouver).
Thanks for all the other contacts; it is incredibly time consuming, but I am continuing to pursue the quest for ongoing monitoring and reporting.
I.
Canadian Radiation Monitoring
I contacted health Canada and the BC Fed. of Labour to see if I can get more info.
as in what about current & legible updates from our coastal monitoring sites?
Should we get foods like spinach, dairy and water from further inland for awhile??
It is not acceptable how they ignore public safety by having such low standards. I am on it.
I have organized a list of
I have organized a list of people interested in helping to push for comprehensive monitoring data in Canada. Send an email to changeagents2011@yahoo.ca.
Canadians--email this person!
I have just emailed this person, and I am encouraging others to do the same. So, all you Canucks lurking on this site--here's your chance. And, make sure that you send this link to your friends, relatives and loved ones.
We all deserve adequate info that will either provide us with GENUINE peace of mind OR enough info that we can develop a plan to minimize our exposures.
Surely, we deserve that much, don't we?