Asbestos, Quebec: the Town, the Mineral, and the Local-Global Balance Between the Two
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Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 1-1-2010 12:00 AM Asbestos, Quebec: The Town, the Mineral, and the Local-Global Balance Between the Two Jessica J. van Horssen The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Dr. Alan MacEachern The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in History A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Doctor of Philosophy © Jessica J. van Horssen 2010 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Cultural History Commons, and the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons Recommended Citation van Horssen, Jessica J., "Asbestos, Quebec: The Town, the Mineral, and the Local-Global Balance Between the Two" (2010). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 11. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/11 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ASBESTOS, QUEBEC: THE TOWN, THE MINERAL, AND THE LOCAL-GLOBAL BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO (Spine title: Asbestos, Quebec: The Town, the Mineral, and the Balance Between the Two) (Thesis format: Monograph) By Jessica van Horssen Graduate Program in History A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario, Canada © Jessica van Horssen 2010 THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO SCHOOL OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES CERTIFICATE OF EXAMINATION Supervisor Examiners ______________________________ ______________________________ Dr. Alan MacEachern Dr. Stéphane Castonguay ______________________________ Dr. Shelley McKellar ______________________________ Dr. Joy Parr ______________________________ Dr. Robert Wardhaugh The thesis by Jessica Johanna van Horssen entitled: Asbestos, Quebec: The Town, the Mineral, and the Local-Global Balance Between the Two is accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Date__________________________ _______________________________ Chair of the Thesis Examination Board ii Abstract From the late 19 th to the late 20 th century, the cities and industries of the world became increasingly reliant on fireproof materials made from asbestos. As asbestos was used more and more in building materials and household appliances, its harmful effect on human health, such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, became apparent. The dangers surrounding the mineral led to the collapse of the industry in the 1980s. While the market demand and medical rejection of asbestos were international, they were also experienced in the mining and processing communities at the core of the global industry. In the town of Asbestos, Quebec, home of the largest chrysotile asbestos mine in the world, we can see how this process of market boom and bust shaped a fierce local cultural identity. This dissertation examines the global asbestos industry from a local perspective, showing how the people of Asbestos, Quebec had international reach through the work they did and the industry they continue to support today. This thesis explores how the boundaries between humans and the environment were blurred in Asbestos as a strong cultural identity was created through the interaction between people and the natural world. This work advances our understanding of the interdependence of the local-global relationship between resource industries and international trade networks, illustrating the ways it shapes communities and how communities shape it. Bringing bodies of land, human bodies, and the body politic of Asbestos, Quebec into the history of the global asbestos trade helps demonstrate how this local cultural identity grew to influence national policy and global debates on commodity flows, occupational health, and environmental justice. Keywords: Asbestos (Quebec), asbestos, Johns-Manville Co., mining, asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer, chrysotile, Asbestos Strike, 1949, history, cultural identity, Canada, Jeffrey Mine, environmental history, medical history. iii Acknowledgements The researching and writing of this dissertation would not have been possible without the constant, unwavering support of new acquaintances, respected scholars, and old friends. Key contacts in Asbestos were John Millen at the Musée minéralogique d’Asbestos, and G. Claude Théroux at the Société d’Histoire d’Asbestos. Both of these men provided invaluable sources and insight into the community, inspiring me to look deeper into the past and question my own assumptions about people and place. The staff at the Hôtel de ville d’Asbestos were also extremely accommodating and helped broaden my understanding of how the community operated in the past and in the present. Beyond Asbestos, the archivists and commissionaires at the Bibliothèque et Archives nationals du Québec made researching in Quebec City entertaining, and I am grateful for their willingness to accommodate my researching needs. Jean-Pierre Kesteman was also helpful and directed me to key resources on the early history of Asbestos. Dr. David Egilman first introduced me to the wealth of historical information at the Johns-Manville Co.’s Asbestos Claims Research Facility and helped bring new context and meaning to this study of Asbestos. Geoffrey Tweedale followed suit, and the hospitality he and his wife Mary showed me in Manchester was appreciated just as much as the sources he provided. Both Egilman and Tweedale took an interest in my study that encouraged me throughout the research and writing process. Maggie Baumgardner at the Johns-Manville Asbestos Claims Research Facility was also helpful in gaining permission to use many of the vital sources I employ in this study. This being a doctoral dissertation, I had a tremendous amount of help from my advisor, Alan MacEachern, whose thorough editing of drafts challenged me to look at my subject and my role as historian from new perspectives. His consideration and patience were—and still are—greatly appreciated. In addition to Alan, I was fortunate to have a community of scholars around me at the University of Western Ontario and through the Network in Canadian History and Environment, including Shelley McKellar, Robert Wardhaugh, and Stéphane Castonguay, who say on my defence committee and offered invaluable insight into this dissertation. These scholars also encouraged me to think and write about Asbestos from new angles, and their suggestions were always inspiring. Of iv particular note is Joy Parr, who also sat on my committee and who taught me to trust my instincts as a historian and motivated me to always think creatively, compassionately, and constructively. My friends and family have been heroically understanding over the past five years, acting as sounding-boards, cheerleaders, proofreaders, and chefs. Radha-Prema McAllister brought this dissertation to life through her illustrations of the graphic novel based on my research, and helped me keep my sanity during the writing process with sauciness, hilarity, and a genuine interest in rocks. The generosity of Ang and Rich Waterton continues to astound me and I will never be able to thank them enough for putting a roof over my head, food in my stomach, and laughter in my heart. Rebecca Jane Woods and Teresa Iacobelli have been comrades in the academic trenches and very dear friends, as have Priya Raju, Sarah Doran, Mike Eamon, Jennine Hurl-Eamon, and the Lost Boys of Lavington Court. My parents, Frank and Theresa have supported me throughout this project, and taught me fundamental life lessons while showing unimagined patience and love for their stressed-out daughter. My Oma, Johanna, offered constant support, motivation, and ice cream throughout this process and remains my sunshine on a cloudy day. All of these people now know far more about Asbestos than they probably ever hoped to, and without them, this dissertation would not be complete and I would not be where I am today. v Table of Contents List of Photographs.......................................................................................................vii List of Appendices.......................................................................................................viii List of Abbreviations.....................................................................................................ix Introduction: Asbestos and Cultural Identity.................................................................1 Chapter 1: Creation Stories, 1791-1918.......................................................................22 Chapter 2: Land With a Future, Not a Past: Bodies of Land, 1918-1949....................57 Chapter 3: Negotiating Risk: Human Bodies, 1918-1949...........................................84 Chapter 4: Essential Characteristics: The Body Politic, 1918-1949..........................116 Chapter 5: Bodies Collide, The Strike of 1949..........................................................141 Chapter 6: “Une ville qui se deplace”: Bodies of Land, 1949-1983..........................185 Chapter 7: Useful Tools: Human Bodies, 1949-1983............................................... 211 Chapter 8: Altered Authority: The Body Politic, 1949-1983.................................... 247 Conclusion: Surviving Collapse: Asbestos