An American Corporation's Plan to Attack Quebec
Click
Here to Add Comment Subject:
An American Corporation's Plan to Attack Quebec
Date:
Wed, 10 Jul 2002 16:02:51 -0400
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
July 10, 2002, St Catharines Standard - Council's Plan To Limit Pesticides Is A Good One. The Standard. In doing so, it joins dozens of communities across Canada that have imposed -- or are planning to impose -- bans on chemical pesticides and herbicides for health reasons.
The city is taking a softer approach than some communities that drew a hard line when it comes to cosmetic use of lawn and garden chemicals to kill dandelions, weeds, grubs and bugs.
It is also allowing the parks and recreation department to phase out the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers over the next three years. A ban on their use on private property may follow; council has asked staff for a report on possibly imposing such a restriction.
But at least the process is under way.
Some other towns and cities in Canada are further ahead of us.
Halifax, N.S., launched the first phase of its ban on pesticides on April 1 of last year. Hudson, Que., announced a ban and was challenged by two chemical companies, Spraytech and Chemlawn. But the Supreme Court upheld the ban as of June 28, 2001.
Now, Victoria, B.C., has brought forth a draft policy which restricts the use of chemicals to kill insects. Because of its integrated pest management program, the city's preventive techniques have reduced pesticide use by an astounding 97 per cent. That's the kind of program we could use in Niagara.
The province of Quebec is going even farther. It announced last week it will ban 28 pesticides as of Sept. 3, despite howls of protest and threats of lawsuits from an organization formed by four North American chemical companies that make the weedkiller 2,4-D -- Dow Agro-Sciences, BASF, Nufarm Inc. and Agro-Gor S.A. The organization says the industry plans to sue the government of Canada (a signatory of NAFTA) under Chapter 11 of the document.
Crompton Corp., the U.S. company that makes lindane, has also told the Canadian government it will sue for $100 million US in damages under Chapter 11 over the ban of its pesticide.
But such threats haven't stopped Quebec's Environment Minister Andre Boisclair, especially in light of the Supreme Court decision and bans in the U.S. of such pesticides as chlorpyrifos, which is sold in Canada as Dursban.
According to Angela Rickman of the Sierra Club of Canada, pesticide manufacturers are trying to use Chapter 11 to "chill" opponents of these chemical poisons. But our federal government must not allow that to happen.
The increasing number of North American communities reacting to fears of harm to the health of residents -- particularly children -- caused by chemicals in our lawns, gardens, water and air can become an unstoppable force if all three levels of government stand together.
In the end, the hardest battle council might face may be convincing gardeners to switch to natural ways of controlling bugs and weeds.
Well Mr. Helliker, What do you think constitutes an act of terrorism?
Reaspectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten
If you would like to be included in our mailing list for continuing information on pesticides, please email us at list@safe2use.com.