P.Q. Study on Pesticides due Feb. 28 - Municipalities across Canada eargerly await findings.
Subject: P.Q. Study on Pesticides due Feb. 28
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 14:51:06 -0500
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of
California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
The Hudson Gazette
January 6, 2002
Staff Writer P.N.
P.Q. Study on Pesticides due Feb. 28 - Municipalities across Canada eargerly await findings.
Hudson : Cross-Canada supporters of a ban on pesticides are hoping that 2002 will bring action at the provincial and federal government levels, following the Supreme court decision last year, recognizing the legality of Hudson's pesticide by-law.
Last fall, the Quebec Minister of the Environment, André Boisclair, announced the creation of a discussion group to look at the use of pesticides in urban areas and come up with recommendations with a view to decreasing the health risks associated with that use.
The group is chaired by Claude Cousineau, MNA for Bertrand. Other members are Alexander Reford, the director of the Jardins de Métis and Fracine Ruest-Jutras, mayor of Drummondville.
Their recommendations are expected to be ready February 28 and include pesticide use on lawns, in landscaping, and for pest extermination. Other suggestions will be made on promoting the use of less harmful products, and sensitizing citizens to the issue. The discussion group can consult any experts it considers necessary.
Boisclair identified four main problems in connection with pesticide use. They are people's low level of tolerance for weeds and insects, easy access to pesticides, low accessibility to less-harmful alternatives, and the absence of regulations on pesticides sold for domestic use.
Eventually, the provincial government's intention is to adopt a Management Code for pesticides which will regulate the sale of pesticides and the use of pesticides by permit holders.
Pressure is also being put on the federal government to act to re-evaluate the use of pesticides for domestic purposes and to improve the classification and labeling of those products.
At the local level, Hudson and St. Lazare both continue their work to sensitize people to the issues involved in pesticide use. Kathy Conway, a member of Hudson's Environment Committee who writes a regular column for the Hudson Gazette dealing with a variety of environmental issues, said she was cautiously optimistic about the coming year. "The P.Q. Environment Minister André Boisclair has some good ideas," she said. "He is really on the ball".
St. Lazare last year hired a consulting biologist, handed out 500 free information kits and organized several workshops. Other activities are planned for this Spring, including talks on alternatives to use for gardens, ecological vegetable plots, and medicinal plants.
Vaudreuil-Dorion is also working on a pesticide by-law to be adopted later this year.
One St. Lazare family has been particularly active, Olga and André Duhaime. André last year challenged a series of newspaper ads which made fun of enviromentalists. His complaint was found to be justified. The company was told to withdraw the ads which were already finished anyway. Now he is looking into taking the manufacturers to court since he can't sue the government. We have all the studies," he said. For her part, Olga has started to write a book on environmental illness to sensitize people to the issue. Something their family has had to live through.
Vaudreuil-Dorion is also working on a pesticide by-law to be adopted later this year.
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