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7th Report of the Civic Works
Committee
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Councillor H.L.
Usher presents.
3.
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Drinking Water Fluoridation in London
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Motion made by Councillor Councillor H. L.
Usher to Approve clause 3.
Motion made by Councillor M. Brown and
seconded by Councillor J.B. Swan to Approve that pursuant to section 9.6 of
the Council Procedure By-law, Councillor P. Hubert be permitted to speak
longer than 5 minutes with respect to clause 3 of the 7th Report of the Civic
Works Committee.
Motion Passed
Motion made by Councillor D. Brown and
seconded by Councillor M. Brown to Approve that pursuant to section 9.6 of
the Council Procedure By-law, Councillor J.L. Baechler be permitted to speak
longer than 5 minutes with respect to clause 3 of the 7th Report of the Civic
Works Committee.
Motion Passed
At 9:50 PM His Worship the Mayor places
Councillor P. Hubert in the Chair and takes a seat at the Council Board.
Motion made by Councillor J.L. Baechler and
seconded by Councillor M. Brown to Approve that pursuant to section 9.6 of
the Council Procedure By-law, Mayor J.F. Fontana be permitted to speak longer
than 5 minutes with respect to clause 2 of the 7th Report of the Civic Works
Committee.
Motion Passed
At 10:02 PM His Worship the Mayor resumes
the Chair and Councillor P. Hubert takes his seat at the Council Board.
Motion made by Councillor N. Branscombe and
seconded by Councillor J.L. Baechler to Approve that pursuant to section 9.6
of the Council Procedure By-law, Councillor H.L. Usher be permitted to speak
longer than 5 minutes with respect to clause 2 of the 7th Report of the Civic
Works Committee.
Motion Passed
The motion to Approve Clause 3 is put.
Motion Passed
YEAS: J.F. Fontana, B. Polhill, W.J.
Armstrong, J.B. Swan, M. Brown, P. Hubert, P. Van Meerbergen, D. Brown, H.L.
Usher, S.E. White (10)
NAYS: S. Orser, J.L. Baechler, N.
Branscombe, D.G. Henderson, J.P. Bryant (5)
Clause 3 reads as follows:
That, the report dated April 23, 2012, from
the Acting Executive Director, Planning, Environmental and Engineering
Services and City Engineer, with respect to drinking water fluoridation in
the City of London BE RECEIVED for information, and the following resolution
BE APPROVED:
WHEREAS at the municipal election of 1966,
a plebiscite was conducted and Londoners voted in favour of fluoridation of
the public water supply of the City;
AND WHEREAS the City of London’s drinking
water has been fluoridated since September, 1967, as per City of London
By-law No. A.-3694-18, as authorized by the Fluoridation Act, and as
regulated by the Ministry of the Environment;
AND WHEREAS at the Global Consultation on
Oral Health Through Fluoride (2006), the World Health Organization (WHO), the
World Dental Federation and the International Association for Dental Research
reaffirmed the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and safety of the daily use of
optimal fluoride, and confirmed that universal access to fluoride for dental
health is a part of the basic human right to health;
AND WHEREAS more than 90 national and
international public health agencies have endorsed the use of fluoride at
recommended levels to prevent tooth decay;
AND WHEREAS the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention declared fluoridation of drinking water to be one of
the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century;
AND WHEREAS in June of 2011, Health Canada
released the results of a multi-year, systematic review of the health risks
associated with fluoride in drinking water and concluded that “The weight of
evidence from all currently available studies does not support a link between
exposure to fluoride in drinking water at 1.5 mg/L and any adverse health
effects…;
AND WHEREAS the aforementioned Health
Canada review also stated that “… the optimal concentration of fluoride in
drinking water for dental health has been determined to be 0.7 mg/L for
communities who wish to fluoridate. This concentration provides optimal
dental health benefits and is well below the MAC (Maximum Acceptable
Concentration of 1.5 mg/L) to protect against adverse effect”;
AND WHEREAS in
April of 2011, Dr. Arlene King, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health
issued a statement expressing concern “about the loss of
fluoridated drinking water in certain communities in spite of consistent
evidence that water fluoridation is safe and effective”;
AND
WHEREAS in February of 2011, the Board of Health for the Middlesex-London
Health Unit unanimously supported the recommendation of Dr. Graham Pollett,
Medical Officer of Health to “support the ongoing fluoridation of the City
of London’s drinking water supply as a measure to achieve optimal dental/oral
health for all residents, which is an important component of total health”;
and,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT The
Corporation of the City of London affirms its confidence in the integrity and
recommendations of the World Health Organization, Health Canada, Ontario’s
Chief Medical Officer of Health, and the Medical Officer of Health for the
Middlesex-London Health Unit, and thus supports the ongoing fluoridation of
the City of London’s drinking water;
it being noted that the Civic Works Committee
received a petition related to discontinuing the use of fluoridation in the
City’s drinking water, signed by approximately 1,442 individuals, which is on
file in the City Clerk’s Office; and,
it being further noted that the Civic Works
Committee heard a verbal delegation from Dr. G. Pollett, Middlesex-London
Health Unit and received the following communications with respect to this
matter:
·
M.
Malek, 1450 Kirkpatrick Way, dated April 22, 2012;
·
C.
Bennett, 11 Constable Street, dated April 22, 2012;
·
S.
Keating, 491 Oxford Street, dated April 22, 2012;
·
M.
Millar, 7334 Longwoods Road, dated April 22, 2012;
·
C.
Gupta, 919 Plantation Road, dated April 23, 2012;
·
F.
Andrighetti, 40 Concord Crescent, dated April 21, 2012;
·
B.
Whitby, 703-95 Ridout Street South, dated April 22, 2012;
·
N.
Warren, 239 Riverside Drive, dated April 22, 2012;
·
R.
Hudon,1385 Matheson Road, Ottawa, Ontario, dated April 22, 2012;
·
M.
Burden, 316 Griffith Street, dated April 21, 2012;
·
A.
Demelo, 1629 Sharon Drive, dated April 20, 2012;
·
E.
Kooistra, 1185 Guildwood Boulevard, dated April 22, 2012;
·
B.
Dundas, 90 Ridout Street South, Suite 1, dated April 20, 2012;
·
K.
Miller, 19-925 Lawson Road;
·
C.
Lewis, 838 Dufferin Avenue, dated April 21, 2012;
·
M.
van Holst, by e-mail, dated April 23, 2012;
·
K.
Klassen, 88 Becher Street, dated April 23, 2012;
·
J.
Hofer, 15-55 Fiddlers Green Road, dated April 23, 2012;
·
N.
Greenhow, 70 Cottonwood Crescent, dated April 22, 2012; and,
·
K.
Deyong, by e-mail, dated April 21, 2012. (2012-W13-00)
Motion made by Councillor W.J. Armstrong
and seconded by Councillor J.B. Swan to Approve that clause 3, be amended by
adding the following part b):
b) that
the Province of Ontario BE REQUESTED to undertake legislative changes to
assume the responsibility for determining drinking water fluoridation, so as
to ensure a uniformed Provincial approach.
Motion Passed
YEAS: J.F. Fontana, B. Polhill, W.J.
Armstrong, J.B. Swan, M. Brown, P. Hubert, P. Van Meerbergen, D. Brown, S.E.
White (9)
NAYS:
S. Orser, J.L. Baechler, N. Branscombe, D.G. Henderson, H.L. Usher, J.P.
Bryant (6)
Motion made by Councillor W.J. Armstrong
and seconded by Councillor J.B. Swan to Approve that clause 3 be further
amended by adding the following part c):
c) that the Civic Administration BE
DIRECTED to provide updates with respect to fluoride levels in the
City of London’s water. (2012-W13-00)
Motion Passed
YEAS: J.F. Fontana, B. Polhill, W.J.
Armstrong, J.B. Swan, J.L. Baechler, N. Branscombe, M. Brown, P. Hubert, D.G.
Henderson, P. Van Meerbergen, D. Brown, J.P. Bryant, S.E. White (13)
NAYS: S. Orser, H.L. Usher (2)
Clause 3, as amended, reads as follows:
That the following actions be taken with
respect to drinking water fluoridation in the City of London:
a)
that the Report dated April 23, 2012, from the Acting
Executive Director, Planning, Environmental and Engineering Services and the
City Engineer, with respect to drinking water fluoridation in the City of
London BE RECEIVED for information, and the following resolution BE APPROVED:
WHEREAS
at the municipal election of 1966, a plebiscite was conducted and Londoners
voted in favour of fluoridation of the public water supply of the City;
AND
WHEREAS the City of London’s drinking water has been fluoridated since
September, 1967, as per City of London By-law No. A.-3694-18, as authorized
by the Fluoridation Act, and as regulated by the Ministry of the
Environment;
AND
WHEREAS at the Global Consultation on Oral Health Through Fluoride (2006),
the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Dental Federation and the
International Association for Dental Research reaffirmed
the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and safety of the daily use of optimal
fluoride, and confirmed that universal access to fluoride for dental health
is a part of the basic human right to health;
AND WHEREAS more
than 90 national and international public health agencies have endorsed the
use of fluoride at recommended levels to prevent tooth decay;
AND WHEREAS the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared fluoridation of drinking
water to be one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th
century;
AND
WHEREAS in June of 2011, Health Canada released the results of a multi-year,
systematic review of the health risks associated
with fluoride in drinking water and concluded that “The weight of evidence from all currently available studies does
not support a link between exposure to fluoride in drinking water at 1.5 mg/L
and any adverse health effects…;
AND
WHEREAS the aforementioned Health Canada review also stated that “… the
optimal concentration of fluoride in drinking water for dental health has
been determined to be 0.7 mg/L for communities who wish to fluoridate. This
concentration provides optimal dental health benefits and is well below the
MAC (Maximum Acceptable Concentration of 1.5 mg/L) to protect against adverse
effect”;
AND WHEREAS in
April of 2011, Dr. Arlene King, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health
issued a statement expressing concern “about the loss of
fluoridated drinking water in certain communities in spite of consistent
evidence that water fluoridation is safe and effective”;
AND WHEREAS in
February of 2011, the Board of Health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit
unanimously supported the recommendation of Dr. Graham Pollett, Medical
Officer of Health to “support the ongoing fluoridation of the City of
London’s drinking water supply as a measure to achieve optimal dental/oral
health for all residents, which is an important component of total health”;
and,
THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED THAT The Corporation of the City of London affirms its confidence in
the integrity and recommendations of the World Health Organization, Health
Canada, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, and the Medical Officer of
Health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit, and thus supports the ongoing
fluoridation of the City of London’s drinking water;
it being noted that
the Civic Works Committee received a petition related to discontinuing the
use of fluoridation in the City’s drinking water, signed by approximately
1,442 individuals, which is on file in the City Clerk’s Office; and,
it being further
noted that the Civic Works Committee heard a verbal delegation from Dr. G.
Pollett, Middlesex-London Health Unit and received the following
communications with respect to this matter:
·
M.
Malek, 1450 Kirkpatrick Way, dated April 22, 2012;
·
C.
Bennett, 11 Constable Street, dated April 22, 2012;
·
S.
Keating, 491 Oxford Street, dated April 22, 2012;
·
M.
Millar, 7334 Longwoods Road, dated April 22, 2012;
·
C.
Gupta, 919 Plantation Road, dated April 23, 2012;
·
F.
Andrighetti, 40 Concord Crescent, dated April 21, 2012;
·
B.
Whitby, 703-95 Ridout Street South, dated April 22, 2012;
·
N.
Warren, 239 Riverside Drive, dated April 22, 2012;
·
R.
Hudon,1385 Matheson Road, Ottawa, Ontario, dated April 22, 2012;
·
M.
Burden, 316 Griffith Street, dated April 21, 2012;
·
A.
Demelo, 1629 Sharon Drive, dated April 20, 2012;
·
E.
Kooistra, 1185 Guildwood Boulevard, dated April 22, 2012;
·
B.
Dundas, 90 Ridout Street South, Suite 1, dated April 20, 2012;
·
K.
Miller, 19-925 Lawson Road;
·
C.
Lewis, 838 Dufferin Avenue, dated April 21, 2012;
·
M.
van Holst, by e-mail, dated April 23, 2012;
·
K.
Klassen, 88 Becher Street, dated April 23, 2012;
·
J.
Hofer, 15-55 Fiddlers Green Road, dated April 23, 2012;
·
N.
Greenhow, 70 Cottonwood Crescent, dated April 22, 2012; and,
·
K. Deyong, by e-mail, dated April 21, 2012;
b) that the Province of Ontario BE
REQUESTED to undertake legislative changes to assume the responsibility for
determining drinking water fluoridation, so as to ensure a uniformed
Provincial approach; and,
c) that the Civic Administration BE
DIRECTED to provide updates with respect to fluoride levels in the
City of London’s water. (2012-W13-00)
Motion made by Councillor J. Baechler and
seconded by Councillor P. Hubert to Approve that pursuant to section 2.4 of
the Council Procedure By-law, section 11.10 of the said by-law be suspended
for the purpose of permitting the meeting to proceed beyond 11:00 PM.
Motion Passed
Motion made by Councillor S. Orser and
seconded by Councillor P. Hubert to Approve that Council recess.
Motion Passed
Council recesses at 10:37 PM and reconvenes
at 10:45 PM with Mayor J.F. Fontana in the Chair and all Members Present
except Councillors B. Polhill, S. Orser and S.E. White.
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