CCNB extends congratulations to Dr. Eilish Cleary
Fredericton- The Conservation Council of New Brunswick would like to extend congratulations to Dr. Eilish Cleary, New Brunswick’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, on her reward received today by the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors. Dr. Cleary was awarded the prestigious Environmental health Review Award for 2013 for her work to bring public health to the debate on shale gas exploration and development in New Brunswick.
In the Fall of 2012, Dr. Cleary released a report “Recommendations Concerning Shale Gas Development in New Brunswick” that laid out recommendations to identify the risks to public health to the provincial government before pursuing shale gas development. It was the first first of its kind in any jurisdiction grappling with shale gas development and her work has been sought out by communities and governments from Alberta to Pennsylvania to Ireland.
Dr. Cleary added this work to the daily mandate of the Office of Public Health without additional resources by government to do so, recognizing that “public health” was missing from the public debate.
She has supplemented her report with many visits to communities and groups requesting presentations on her work. She has responded with respect, empathy and understanding of those who voice their concerns and ask questions about how shale gas could impact their health and that of their children.
“I deeply respect Dr. Cleary and her team for their work and their responsiveness to the people of New Brunswick”, said Stephanie Merrill, spokesperson for CCNB on shale gas. “I admire her honesty and the way she communicates — no condescension, just concern for those she considers ‘her patients’, said Merrill.
Merrill continues, “I know that people in communities all around this province are grateful for her contribution on this issue. I hear about that gratitude all the time. I have personally thanked her for this important work and have given our congratulations — this award and recognition is well deserved.”
The EHR Award is a national award presented annually by CIPHI, to individuals or organizations for their outstanding contributions to the field of environmental health and to agencies that have been deemed to have made a significant contribution to the field of environmental health and / or the betterment of public health.
CCNB also recognizes that Dr. Cleary’s work can and should be implemented beyond the issue of shale gas and be applied to other emerging or potential industries with public health impacts such as mining, mills and other energy projects.
Inka Milewski, CCNB’s Heath Advisor says Dr. Cleary richly deserves this award for showing leadership on how a precautionary approach can be implemented in protecting public health and the environment.
“Her recommendations on health impact assessments generally, and shale gas development specifically, reflect two central themes in public health – ‘first do no harm’ and second ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’, said Milewski. “These are also the underlying themes in the precautionary principle which was adopted by the United Nations in 1992 and the European Union in 1993 to guide policy-making on environmental and health issues.”
The Conservation Council of New Brunswick looks forward to continuing to engage with Dr. Cleary, her team, and the Department of Health to support improved Heath Impact Assessment processes for industrial and environmental reviews in New Brunswick.
-30-
Media Contacts:
Stephanie Merrill: 506.261.8317, water@conservationcouncil.ca
Inka Milewski: 506.622.0314, milewski@nbnet.nb.ca