Note: Terrace officials counted the number of names on the petition, and found that the actual total was 260 Terrace residents, 109 from the regional district and 38 unknown, for a total of 422.
Any decision about the future of fluoride in Terrace water has been delayed until council gets the opinion of the Northern Health Authority.
Local anti-fluoride campaigner Barry Prince was at council for last night's regular meeting, this time with a petition he said was signed by 600 Terrace and Thornhill residents and with local naturopath Daniel Yee to help sway council.
This was his third attempt to convince council that the city should join the tide of municipalities around Canada who are stopping their fluorination programs.
There was little debate. Councillor James Cordeiro made the motion to receive the petition “for information” which was seconded by councillor Brian Downie.
Deputy mayor Lynne Christiansen was about to move on in what was a busy agenda, when councillor Michael Prevost interjected:
“I think it would be beneficial for council to request Northern Health do a presentation just to provide a leveled approach in terms of best practice, current studies, because for us to make a decision moving forward we need to have some balanced information."
A motion to do so was carried.
“I was actually quite shocked and really surprised that Terrace is still fluorinating their water,” Yee said during his presentation, calling the decision to stop fluorinating “a no brainer”.
He pointed out that children exposed to industrial levels of fluoride in China, according to a study in the journal Lancet, showed an 8-10 point I.Q. loss which is the difference between average and below average intelligence.
He said forcing fluoride through the water supply, even in small amounts, is contrary to notions of consent enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Prince concluded by saying he would challenge the city in court if no referendum is held, or if fluoride is not removed from Terrace water.
“This practice is going to stop one way or another, or we will be back again,” he told council.