The report Dr. Eilish Cleary was working on when she was fired as New Brunswick’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has been made public.
The report was originally supposed to be kept quiet.
Dr. Cleary was fired without cause, according to her statements to media; however, many New Brunswickers have speculated that it was her research into the herbicide glyphosate that was the real reason for her dismissal.
That speculation has been denied by the government.
“Our opinion is that it is safe to use,” says acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell. “When it’s used in the correct way, then people’s exposure and people’s risks are very minimal.”
Many fighting against the use of the herbicide disagree, and there are thousands in New Brunswick who waited to see the report.
“Toothless, gutless, it didn’t say anything,” says Peter Gilbert of Stop Spraying New Brunswick. “It was a review of a lot of information that we already knew or that’s already public.”
A research agency with the World Health Organization has called glyphosate a probable carcinogen, and Dr. Russell says she doesn’t disagree with that. However, she says so long as those using the herbicide use it properly, there’s little risk to the public. It has to be licensed for use.
“Here in New Brunswick, those permits are issued by the Department of Environment and local government,” says Dr. Russell. “They’re in charge of making sure those things are looked at.”
Around the world, glyphosate is often used in agricultural practices, but in New Brunswick, the report identified that it’s often used in forestry.
NB Power uses the herbicide, so does J.D. Irving – who declined to comment, but say they value the research and expertise of scientists on this issue.
Even with the findings released on Friday, Gilbert’s group is circulating a petition. Once he gets enough names on it, he says he’ll be asking the province for another review of the herbicide. This time, Gilbert says he wants the process made public.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Laura Brown
