Canadians Against Pesticides - Mission Statement
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CAPS MISSION STATEMENT

We, the members of CanadiansAgainstPesticides believe that there is overwhelming scientific evidence making clear and suspected links between the exposure to pesticides and herbicides and numerous diseases, fetal anomalies as well as behavioural & developmental disorders among the human population (especially children).

The primary goal of CAPS, therefore, is the immediate process of eliminating the manufacture and use of all pesticides, herbicides and other agricultural/gardening/land maintenance chemicals known or suspected of these deleterious affects on human health, especially the health of children, across Canada. This goal will be achieved primarily through grass-roots, community based actions geared to apply pressure on the offices of the Prime Minister, Federal Health Minister, Environment Minister and all local MP's and thus encourage progressive, profound, enduring and immediate change to the current (and severely outdated) Pest-Management legislation.

CAPS supports the sentiment of the May 16, 2000 report entitled "Pesticides: Making the right choice for the protection of health and the environment" prepared by the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development. CAPS agrees and fully endorses the report's summation that new legislation dictating the assessment, re-assessment, market availability and application of all pest-management products and practices is sadly overdue and must be passed into law immediately. CAPS has, however, devised a more progressive approach to the suggested protocol and net effect of the Committee's report. This can be structured as follows...

CAPS urges:
  1. An immediate ban of all pesticides, herbicides and lawn/garden/landscape maintenance chemicals, used for "cosmetic" purposes, that pose or are suspected of posing any health threat, especially to children (the 'health threat' to be determined by a non-partisan panel of medical professionals chosen by the House of Commons Standing Committee On The Environment and Sustainable Devlopment.
  2. An immediate and comprehensive revision of protocols and standards fundamental to the approval process for manufacture, availability and use of pest-management products. This revision shall incorporate a rigorous, long-term and progressive scientific assessment based on the concept: "Safeguarding Children's Health Through All Forms Of Exposure" as its fundamental tenet. This revision shall make mandatory the re-assessment of all products currently available or ready for approval under the current system. The revision shall also employ the aforementioned tenet as its primary determining factor in allowing the manufacture/sale/use of any product or patent.
  3. The immediate development of a (minimum) 3 year to (maximum) 5 year plan to implement a 100% transition to "Ecological/health sensitive Integrated Pest Management" or Certified Organic Farming practices for all Canadian Farmers.
  4. A subsidy initiative shall be developed to encourge and aid all farmers to choose strict Organic Farming practices for the three years necessary to move from current practices to Certified Organic Practices and thus attain crop yields similar to that achieved by previous methods
  5. In, no more than, 5 years from initial implementation, all pest-management products used for agricultural purposes, must adhere to the aforementioned tenet. This would require that all Genetically Modified Organisms, all traditional pest-management products and any other products/practices used for crop planning, development, growth and processing so conform to this tenet in order to create a new baseline of health-cognizance in the agricultural process.
  6. A comprehensive awareness campaign, including instructional literature, informational brochures, planning diaries, workshops/seminars, crisis management and community based discussions to introduce and assist farmers in soil, crop and ecologically sound practices that preclude the use of current toxic pest-management applications.
  7. A system of scrutiny be set in place for the assessment of all imported food products in order to assure adherence to the aforementioned tenet.


It should be stated that Organic Farming practices have been employed by farmers for millennia. There is a litany of information and expert instructors available to aid in the introduction of ecologically appropriate products and methods, including the Canadian Organic Growers association.

CAPS Strategy Implementation

The implementation of the above stages will be successive in that item #1 will be launched first and given utmost time and attention. All focus shall remain on this item until data/feedback indicates that inertia/momentum will sustain its growth and impact on the designated target. Each item shall follow in logical succession and be granted the same focus and time until information indicates that the required impact and result is imminent.

Media, Medical Professionals and private citizens will be solicited through interview, flyer circulation, petition, event-oriented activity and physical campaign involvement to aid in the fulfillment of these goals. Upon the successful completion of each stage; data, strategies, assessment reports and media reportage will be offered to satellite groups across Canada for use in their respective communities. A Web-based, action oriented information centre/communications link will be created to aid in the dissemination of background information, CAPS Mission Statement and appropriate scientific studies, as well as inform visitors about CAPS-based activities, petition forms and email links to Ministers and MP's.

Please contact CAPS Community Awareness Director, Bernard Frazer, for more information.

Email: canadiansagainstpesticides@hotmail.com