Statement about the release of Dr. Cleary’s recommendations concerning the shale gas industry

New Brunswick’s doctors welcome the public release of our Chief Medical Officer of Health’s recommendations concerning shale gas development in our province. We hope that this report stimulates government thinking on the regulation of shale gas development and the concerns of New Brunswickers about our water, air, and land. We also believe that sustainable development is by necessity a balance of both environmental and economic concerns, both of which have impacts on population health. 

We also support the Canadian Medical Association’s call for appropriate data to be made available to ensure that doctors and other scientists have the evidence necessary to monitor the effects of resource extraction on human health. We congratulate Dr Cleary on her work and look forward to a response from others interested in health and sustainable development.

Robert Desjardins, MD FRCPC
President, New Brunswick Medical Society