Asbestos is exported by Canada (the centre of the industry is in Quebec), Zimbabwe, and Russia.  For years, Liberal governments have worked diligently to block trade controls on asbestos.  The Liberals are no longer calling the shots, which means there is an opportunity to actually do something environmentally significant.  Asbestos is a real environmental threat, and the NDP would support a Conservative government move to ban the export of asbestos from Canada, and a pensioning off of the remaining workers in the industry.

It is the right thing to do -- morally, economically, and politically.

Canada figures highly in recent attempts to ban the use of asbestos worldwide:

In 1999 the world's largest exporter of asbestos, Canada, went to the World Trade Organization challenging the ban on asbestos in France. The United States supported the right of France to ban asbestos, and the WTO agreed. The WTO found that all levels of asbestos posed some cancer risk, that safer substitute products were available and that there was no such thing as "controlled use." This enabled other countries to ban asbestos and ensured that the Jan. 1, 2005, European Union deadline on its asbestos ban would be observed by all its member countries. Asbestos has now been banned by Saudi Arabia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Seychelles, Gabon and Australia.

In 1999, the minister of natural resources was Ralph Goodale.  The minister of the environment was Dave Anderson.

Another effort to control the trade of asbestos was also foiled by Canada:

Asbestos producer nations have blocked the addition of chrysotile (white) asbestos to the UN list of highly dangerous substances that cannot be exported to developing countries without their knowledge and agreement. The blocking manoeuvre on "prior informed consent" (PIC) listing of chrysotile at the Rotterdam convention meeting in Geneva on 18 September 2004 was spearheaded by the Canadian and Russian governments.

In 2004, the minister of natural resources was John Efford.  The minister of the environment was Stephane Dion.

India imports most of Canada's chrysotile asbestos, and is paying the price:

Canada's export of chrysotile asbestos to developing countries is "criminal" and is killing workers in India, medical experts in New Delhi warned this week.

Dr. T.K. Joshi, head of India's occupational and environmental department, said at least 100,000 factory workers and millions of construction workers across India inhale chrysotile asbestos every day. It's a toxic material that causes lung inflammation and, in some cases, cancer.

Canadian chrysotile asbestos accounts for one-third of all the asbestos in India and is used to make everything from concrete water pipes to metal roofing. The rest is imported from Zimbabwe, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Stephen Harper is a man of conviction and of strong moral values.  While previous Liberal governments might have been all too happy to do whatever it took to keep Canadian asbestos exports going at full speed (and so not irritate Quebec mining interests), Stephen Harper has repeated shown his willingness to pay the cost, financially and electorally, associated with doing the right thing, and he should do the right thing on this issue.

The NDP will support such a move.  NDP MP Pat Martin has sparred with former Liberal MP Joe Fontana on the issue of asbestos in 1995:

In the last session of Parliament, Mr. Martin raised the issue of an asbestos-laden home insulation product called vermiculite whose commercial name is Zonolite.

"Hundreds of thousands of homes have been made dangerous and even devalued by virtue of Zonolite contamination," Mr. Martin said during Question Period in February. "This happened because of a federal government program that promoted and even subsidized the installation of this Zonolite. Within months of learning that UFFI foam was irritating, a program existed to remove that hazard from people's homes. Canadians are looking to their government for help in removing Zonolite. What will the government do to help homeowners get this carcinogen out of their walls when the government helped put it in?"

In response, Labour and Housing Minister Joe Fontana said, "I do not buy the premise of the question at all. I am sure the member would want to be more clear with Canadians. Yes, any time they are undertaking renovations we would encourage them, obviously, to talk to professionals so that they can get the right information. We have been told, and it is on Health Canada's website as well as [the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation's website], which advised all the stakeholders and so on, that if left undisturbed it does not pose a health risk. Yes, we need to inform Canadians on the health and safety of their homes but I am sure the member would not want to alarm Canadians."

The NDP, especially Pat martin, continue to push for a ban on asbestos exports.  Teaming with the Conservatives would put a win in the NDP environmental column (important for the NDP fight against the Green Party), and would play well in the "effective opposition" narrative the NDP has been pushing.

The Bloc Quebecois might not support a ban, given the traditional importance the asbestos industry has in Quebec:

Just last year [1997] the Bloc Québécois provided two planes to fly 20 Ottawa-based foreign diplomats into the asbestos mining region to press their case that asbestos can be safely controlled.

Unlike the journalistic junkets arranged by the federal government, however, "this was paid entirely by the Bloc,'' says Bloc MP Benoit Sauvageau (Repentigny), who organized the diplomatic visits. "That's important to remember.''

Would the Liberals support such a move?  Like everything else to do with the Liberals, it's hard to know.  The lack of true leadership means that it's like reading tea leaves...without having drained the tea...and while the tea is being spun in a blender.

Stephane Dion might try to shore up Liberal Party numbers in Quebec by siding with the asbestos industry.  But then he'd take a beating from the Green Party and from his environmental allies.  Politically, he would be seen aligning with the Bloc Quebecois, assuming the Bloc goes with the asbestos industry as it has in the past.  On the other hand, Dion could support a Tory move to shut down the asbestos industry, but then he and Ralph Goodale could face questions about why the move was not made when they were ministers and had the power to make the decision themselves.

In all likelihood, Stephane Dion would order the Liberals to abstain on yet another vote.  But another abstention?  On another environmental issue?  With the NDP taking a strong stand?