Suspicious envelopes sent to MP offices in N.S. contained chemical irritant

Nova Scotia RCMP confirmed today that three suspicious envelopes sent to three federal constituency offices on Monday contained some kind of chemical irritant, but it remains unclear what the substance was.

The Mounties issued a statement saying an employee at an office in Barrington, N.S., had trouble breathing and their eyes and skin became irritated after they opened the envelope around 11 a.m. on Monday.

Police say that person was taken to hospital for ``decontamination'' but did not suffer further injury.

Similar envelopes were sent to constituency offices in Bridgewater, N.S., and Yarmouth, N.S., but police say those packages weren't opened _ though one employee in Yarmouth suffered minor skin irritation that did not require medical attention.

Meanwhile, Halifax Regional Police confirmed today they are investigating the delivery of a number of suspicious envelopes to Halifax City Hall on Monday around 7:45 p.m.

There were no reported injuries or illnesses, but members of the forensic identification section were called in to examine the packages.

No other details were released about the envelopes sent to city hall, and there was no indication the Halifax incident was connected with the three earlier cases.