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Marie-Paule Spieser is one of 600 residents of Shannon, Que., who have signed a class-action lawsuit over water tainted with trichloroethylene, or TCE. (CBC)

The federal government denies responsibility for hundreds of cancer cases at the heart of a class-action lawsuit filed over allegations of contaminated water near CFB Valcartier in Quebec.

Residents of Shannon, outside Quebec City, are seeking more than $200 million in hurts for health problems they say were caused by water tainted with an industrial solvent used on the military base in the 1950s.

The class-action lawsuit filed by about 600 residents alleges Shannon’s water table was contaminated with trichloroethylene, or TCE, a substance Health Canada has said is a potential carcinogen.

In a statement of defence filed Friday in Quebec City, the federal government acknowledges a link between TCE and certain forms of cancer.

‘They will answer to why they never, in the history of all this dumping, developed any way to protect the people of Shannon.’— Stephen Clarke, lawyer for residents

But, people living in Shannon were not exposed to high enough concentrations over a long enough period to become ill, the government says in the 70-page document.

Tests have revealed local wells were only affected by TCE during the 10 years of the 1990s, the statement of defence said. The scientific community did not predict until the 1980s that the TCE could have an impact on the quality of the groundwater, it said.

Plaintiffs welcome document

The statement of defence provides certain admissions that are helpful to the residents, said lawyer Stephen Clarke, one of the lawyers arguing the case.

“The fact that the government of Canada, after seven years, is admitting that there are cancers connected to TCE, is incredible to us,” Clarke said. “They will answer to why they never, in the history of all this dumping, developed any way to protect the people of Shannon.”

Clarke said he intends to prove there is evidence a dozen barrels of the toxic chemical were dumped near the base each month over a 20-year period.

“The exact year that it reached the town of Shannon, we feel we can establish within a degree of reasonable scientific certainty, would be the 1950s, or 60s,” Clarke said.

Clark is hoping the case will be argued in the fall. The government, but, hopes to have the case thrown out, according to the statement of defence.

The document also describes how the Department of National Defence has spent $60 million to find the source of the problem and provide a clean source of drinking water to the people of Shannon.

Canada’s Priscilla Lopes-Schliep raced to victory in the 60-metre hurdles at the 103rd Millrose Games on Friday in New York City.

The reigning world silver medallist from Whitby, Ont., won in 8.01 seconds at Madison Square Garden to edge American Tiffany Ofili, who crossed in 8.04. Virginia Powell of the U.S. was third in 8.07.

Lopes-Schliep said issues with the starting gun held up the race but had no effect on her run.

“I had to work in the race, came on at the end but am pleased that I won my third in a row in New York City,” she said.

Perdita Felicien of Pickering, Ont., was fourth in 8.10.

Scott Milanovich, left, helped guide the Alouettes to consecutive Grey Cup appearances in his two years as their offensive co-ordinator. (Courtesy CFL.ca)

The Toronto Argonauts have seemingly settled on a new head coach.

The Argos have settled on Montreal Alouettes offensive co-ordinator Scott Milanovich for the job, a CFL source requesting anonymity told The Canadian Press on Friday. Toronto has offered Milanovich the position and a two-year deal, the source said.

Neither Argos president Bob Nicholson nor general manager Adam Rita immediately returned messages. Milanovich was in Mobile, Ala., with other Alouettes coaches attending the Senior Bowl and wasn’t immediately available for comment either.

The go is somewhat surprising given that earlier in the week, word was that former Winnipeg head coach Doug Berry and Calgary Stampeders offensive co-ordinator George Cortez were the frontrunners for the post.

But a second CFL source said Friday that Cortez instead will be heading to the NFL’s Buffalo Bills to join new coach Chan Gailey’s staff as an assistant.

Milanovich, a former NFL, CFL and NFL Europe quarterback, would succeed Bart Andrus, who was fired last month after posting a 3-15 record last season, his first as a head coach in the CFL.

Milanovich, 37, has spent the last three seasons with the Alouettes. He joined the CFL club as its quarterbacks coach in 2007, was promoted to offensive co-ordinator the following season, and last year, he added the title of assistant head coach to his coaching resume.

Milanovich has worked well with Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman as Montreal has reached the Grey Cup the last two years, beating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 28-27 in the 2009 final.

Potent offence

Under the leadership of Milanovich and Trestman, the Alouettes have boasted a potent offence with veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who has been named the league’s outstanding player the past two seasons.

But while Milanovich served as Montreal’s quarterbacks coach and was involved in the club’s weekly game plotting, it was Trestman who called the plays for the Alouettes offence.

Milanovich would take over an Argos team that’s missed the playoffs the last two years in winning just seven of 36 games. He also would become the club’s fourth head coach in the past two seasons.

A huge part of Toronto’s problems has been an anemic offence that’s been last or near the bottom of the CFL’s major offensive categories. The Argos had high hopes two years ago when they bought quarterback Kerry Joseph, the league’s outstanding player in 2007 who led Saskatchewan to the Grey Cup that season. But Joseph has failed miserably in his two seasons with the Double Blue.

But at least Milanovich comes to Toronto with CFL experience, something Andrus was sorely lacking when he was hired last year. He played for the Calgary Stampeders in 2003 before becoming the club’s quarterbacks coach.

Milanovich also spent time coaching in NFL Europe as a quarterbacks coach and offensive co-ordinator.