from an email of December 12, 2008 from Dr. David Bowering, Chief Medical Health officer at Northern Health, this text:

“Here you go, Dave. This might take a bit of digesting. Basically it provides evidence-based estimates of mortality attributable to particulate pollution in the North. These estimates suggest that the mortality attributable to particulate pollution is on the same order of magnitude as the mortality attributable to diabetes and that it is much greater than previously thought. One of the tables estimates that there would be 6 deaths in Smithers over a 5 year period that would not have occurred if the particulate level was as low as it is in Terrace. I would be glad to talk more either on the phone or email about the issues of linking otitis media to pollution. Cheers”

The research referenced is here.