MONTREAL -- “What is in a name?” Shakespeare’s Juliet bemoans in Romeo and Juliet.
You just have to ask the residents of Asbestos in the Eastern Townships.
The town’s namesake was once thought to be a safe and versatile mineral mainly used in the manufacturing of insulation used in buildings; it was also used in ships, roads and cars.
It was declared a carcinogen in the 1980s by the World Health Organization and is banned worldwide because of the health hazards to humans.
No longer wanting to be associated with the dangerous mineral, residents are voting to change the town’s name.
The choices are L'Azur-des-Cantons, Jeffrey-sur-le-Lac, Larochelle, Phénix, Trois-Lacs and Val-des-Sources.
Nearly one in two voters, 48 per cent of the population, cast a ballot over five days.
That’s 2,787 votes.
Residents age 14 years old and up, plus the owners of the now-defunct Jeffery mine, which closed in 2012, were eligible to vote.
If no clear winner is declared on the first ballot, the one with the fewest votes will be eliminated. The voters' second choice will then be counted.
The new name will be revealed during Monday’s city council meeting.
-- With files from The Canadian Press
