Posted on 09/30/2005 8:31:24 AM PDT by Gene Vidocq
CALGARY -- On the same day that Mexican president Vicente Fox visited the campus, more than 600 people were evacuated from the University of Calgary's Sciences building when staff found two envelopes containing a suspicious-looking powder.
The powder turned out to be harmless. Fire, EMS, and police personnel cordoned off the facility at about 11:30 a.m. yesterday after a male professor opened one of the letters and subsequently complained of feeling sick, said fire department spokesman John Conley.
The man, reportedly in his 50s, and a woman in her mid-20s who was also complaining of nausea, were taken to hospital as a precaution.
The fire department's hazardous materials team also decontaminated 11 people who'd been in the area where the letter was opened, Conley said, adding both envelopes were examined and found to present no danger to the public.
"Following examination, it has been determined (the powder) was not a dangerous material," Conley said.
While his staff was advised of the situation, Fox proceeded as planned, said U of C spokesman Grady Semmens.
"He was here for a meeting with the university president, Harvey Weingarten, and then gave a speech to a group of students," Semmens said.
Earlier in the day, Fox told leaders in the energy industry that after a decade with the North American Free Trade Agreement, he would like to see a similar pact made for energy.
"NAFTA has been very successful for us," he said.
"We want to further extend this investment not only in trade but to have a NAFTA policy in energy, a NAFTA security policy, NAFTA markets in financing policies."
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