Caledon Leads Way
With Pesticide Resolution
This coming Monday March 19, the Town Council of Caledon, Ontario is expected to pass a trend-setting resolution. The resolution, which will be delivered to Queen's Park, urges Mike Harris' government to legislate changes to the Pesticide Act and/or Regulation 914 to
enable municipalities to regulate pesticide use on private property.
This comes amid a flurry of activity by grassroots organizations ocross Canada seeking the elimination/restriction of the cosmetic use of pesticides. Recent high profile reports, including the
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (March 2001),
the Standing Committee On Environment and Sustainable Development
(May 2000) and the Commissioner of The Environment and Sustainable
Development, Office of the Auditor General of Canada (May 1999),
have all raised serious concerns about the government's ability to
ensure the safety of public health when dealing with the management
of chemical pesticides and toxic substances.
The public is urged to write letters to their local Mayors recommending a resolution similar to Caledon's- and to write their local MP's and the Prime Minister urging immediate action by making Marlene Jennings' Private members Bill C-267
a government bill so that a moratorium on the non-essential use of
chemical pesticides until proven safe can receive Royal Assent by
April 22, 2001.
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| "Recent high profile reports... raised serious concerns about the government's ability to
ensure the safety of public health when dealing with the management
of chemical pesticides and toxic substances" |
The Prime Minister can be reached by email at pm@pm.gc.ca or by fax at 613 941-6900. Letters can be sent free of postage to:
The Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister
Room 309-S, Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
MP contact info can be found on the CAPS website at www.caps.20m.com
The following is a reprint of the Caledon resolution. Concerned citizens are urged to use it as a template to create a resolution for their own communities.
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Resolution
Whereas the Caledon Town Council acknowledges that the risks associated with
the use of chemical pesticide is a concern to many residents of Caledon:
And Whereas the Caledon Town Council has banned pesticides on municipal
lands, and in the year 2000 proclaimed a one week moratorium on the
cosmetic use of pesticides;
And Whereas there is interest among many residents in controlling the
cosmetic use of pesticides:
And Whereas the federal legislation allows enabling provincial legislation
which would empower municipalities to enact by-laws to enhance both federal
and provincial legislation;
Be it Resolved That the Town of Caledon Council requests the Government of
Ontario to legislate changes to the Pesticide Act and/or Regulation 914 to
enable municipalities to regulate pesticide use on private property;
And Be It Further Resolved that this Resolution be communicated to AMO,
FCM, Murray Calder, and David Tilson, and that other municipalities be
urged to support such an amendment to provincial legislation.
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