Health committee  Safety Code 6, which we've heard a lot about and is a Health Canada document, is referenced in Industry Canada's regulations, and it's Industry Canada that regulates the telecommunications industry. The levels set in the safety code, and therefore Industry Canada's regulations, are exactly the same as those in the United States and slightly more stringent than those of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.

Health committee  You will hear of countries that do, such as Russia, but I do not believe they ever do any compliance checks. I think their cell towers, because the standard is much lower, probably meet the standard, but I doubt that their cellphones do. Certainly among the developed countries, no, there is no one that I am aware of.

Health committee  Yes, the processes to develop the guidelines and the limits are according to the World Health Organization.

Health committee  No, not that I'm aware of. As I mentioned to Ms. Hughes, the only one I'm aware of that has contacted Industry Canada is the Toronto school board.

Health committee  If we were asked to help the school board measure, yes, we'd be there. If we were asked to provide some assistance to the provincial government, we would do so.

Health committee  No, we would respond if we were asked by the—

Health committee  My response was that yes, we would respond if we're asked by the provincial government or by the school board to provide some information and assistance.

Health committee  The Interphone study was a multinational study. I forget how many countries were involved; Canada was involved, as were many other countries. It was released this past May. It took place over 10 years and looked specifically at whether cellphones increased the risk of brain tumours.

Health committee  Not specifically. We certainly take them seriously and look to what's happening, but local health issues are the responsibility of the local health authorities. As for the school boards, if they wanted some interaction with us, we would respond. For instance, the Toronto school board is asking Industry Canada to go into the schools and measure radio frequency there.

Health committee  Not that I'm aware of. As I said, the U.K. has set up quite a systematic study of the effects of Wi-Fi there, and we're following that study.

Health committee  I would, yes. Health effects, health care...yes. We would obviously be concerned. We review the literature. I think that when something like that has happened, the scientists go back and review, verify, and examine.

Health committee  In my opening remarks, I commented on the BioInitiative Report. It's Health Canada's position, as well as that of most international and other jurisdictional health agencies like Health Canada, that the BioInitiative Report was not peer-reviewed, although I heard Dr. Blank said a later version was peer-reviewed, and there were a lot of...that it has a lack of balance within it.

Health committee  I'm going to read it out, okay? I have it written down here. It's quite a complicated thing. I'm not convinced that it's interpreted well by all. Health Canada uses it. There have been cases where it has been used; I think the latest one is the removal of bisphenol A in toys and things.

Health committee  At this point, again, I reiterate the department's position. There's no evidence that links the cause and effect, and based on the best science available and reviewed, we do not believe the precautionary principle is warranted now.

Health committee  I think the negative input is that it would impede some people's desire to use it, and it's impossible to block out electromagnetic fields from everywhere. You know, you walk down the street in Toronto, you're exposed to it everywhere, so yes, you could apply it in some areas, and you could weigh the benefit and the risk of that.