FEDERAL BILL TO BAN COSMETIC PESTICIDES
 March 1, 2001

     On February 14th Marlene Jennings' Private Members Bill C-388 was re-introduced in the House of Commons under a new number Bill C-267, An Act to Prohibit the Use of Pesticides for Non-essential Purposes.  The bill calls for "a moratorium on cosmetic use of chemical pesticides in the home and garden and on recreational facilities such as parks and golf courses until scientific evidence that shows such use is safe has been presented to Parliament and concured in by a parliamentary committee." 

     Jennings' bill is an attempt to put the precautionary principal into immediate action in the case of cosmetic, non-essential pesticide use.  For more info on the bill see Feds Slow on Pesticide Progress, UPdate, Winter 2001 .  

     The government let this bill die in the last session of Parliament.  Now that the bill has been reintroduced, pressure is needed to make sure it passes.

Action # 1 - Write/E-mail/Call Prime Minister Jean Chretien
     Write/E-mail/Call Prime Minister Jean Chretien and urge him to make Bill C-267 a government bill calling for an immediate moratorium on the non-essential use of chemical pesticides.   Send a copy to Marlene Jennings and your local MP. Postage addressed to the House of Commons is free.   
See the end of this article for a sample letter and addresses for the prime minister and members of parliament.  

IF YOU CAN ONLY DO ONE THING, PLEASE DO THIS NOW!!!

ACTION # 2 - Call or E-mail the Federal MP for your riding
     Ask them whether they support a moratorium on chemical landscaping pesticides and tell them why you think it is critically important.
     Ask them if they will support Marlene Jennings' Bill C-267 calling for a moratorium on the non-
essential use of chemical pesticides in Canada until they are proven safe.
     Ask them to contact Prime Minister Jean Chretien to indicate their support for immediate passage of Bill C-267. 

      If they do not support immediate action on the bill, ask what they and their party plan to do to reduce public health dangers resulting from unnecessary exposure to chemical pesticides?

ACTION # 3 - Circulate This E-mail Widely
     Circulate this e-mail widely to your friends and like-minded networks.  Suggest others write a letter (see sample below) then e-mail or mail it in.
     The pesticide lobby continues to be active in Ottawa. But, passage of this legislation is very close so ITS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON and demand 'real action and real legislation' for a moratorium on chemical landscaping pesticides until proven safe.
 

Bus: 613-941-6888
Bus: 613-992-4211
Fax: 613-941-6900
Email: pm@pm.gc.ca

Rm 309-S, Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa ON
K1A OA6

Send copies of your e-mail/letter to:

Marlene Jennings
M.P., Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Lachine

Bus: (613) 995-2251
Fax: (613) 996-1481
Email: jennings.m@parl.gc.ca

House of Commons
Government of Canada
Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

and to your own MP.
To find your local MP's address go to:
http://direct.srv.gc.ca/cgi-bin/wgweng
or http://www.parl.gc.ca/ 
 

date, 2001

The Rt. Hon. Jean Chretien, Prime Minister
Room 309-S, Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

RE: Immediate moratorium on non-essential use of pesticides

Dear Prime Minister Chretien,
     I am writing to urge you to make Marlene Jennings' private member's 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 Earth Day, April 22, 2001.

     This would show that you are willing to act decisively to protect the health of Canadians and that you take our concerns and the recommendations of the report on pesticides by the Standing Committee seriously. Vague responses from the Minister of Health have failed to address the 'real
issues' and that is why I expect you to personally handle this matter.  The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ 2001; 164(3):365-9) recently reported that approximately "25% of health problems are already environmental in origin. There is no realistic way or current technology available to replace declining natural ecosystems ... that are essential to health." Continuing to allow the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides in our communities only exacerbates this problem.

     As you know, the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development tabled its report, Pesticides: Making the Right Choice, on May 16, 2000. In section 12.8 the Report says: "The Committee firmly believes that a moratorium on pesticide use for esthetic purposes is necessary
until science has proven that the pesticides involved do not constitute a health threat and some light has been shed on the consequences of their use in urban areas."

     Canadians are anxiously waiting for you to implement the necessary legislation that guarantees to protect the health of our communities and our environment from unnecessary exposures to chemical pesticides. You have been given the perfect opportunity with Bill C-267. Don't disappoint
us.

     IT'S UP TO YOU MR. PRIME MINISTER TO TAKE THE LEAD on this issue. Please reply and tell me when I can expect action from you on this urgent health issue.
 

Yours sincerely,

Your name
Your address
Your phone numbers

c.c. Your Local MP
Marlene Jennings, Liberal MP, Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Lachine