The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) is joining with over 60 labour and environmental organizations from across Canada to ask the federal government for a comprehensive ban on asbestos and for the creation of an expert panel to address ongoing challenges associated with asbestos.

“Despite ongoing pleas by Canadians urging a federal ban on asbestos and the growing body of evidence demonstrating the health impacts associated with asbestos exposure, very little progress has been made by the federal government,” wrote the group in a letter sent this morning to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.