August 30, 2007

The Globe and Mail

ELECTION PLATFORM
McGuinty plans ban on pesticides

by KAREN HOWLETT

TORONTO -- Homeowners across Ontario would no longer be able to use chemicals to zap dandelions on their lawns under Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty's campaign pledge to ban the use of pesticides.

Mr. McGuinty will make a provincewide ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides on lawns, gardens and parks, which can pose a health risk, part his platform for the Oct. 10 provincial election, a Liberal party source said yesterday.

"We're going to better protect the health of kids and families," the source said.

Ontario would be following Toronto and many other municipalities in the province that have enacted such bans.

Toronto passed a bylaw in 2004 restricting outdoor use of pesticides on public and private property after acrimonious debate.

Starting next month, the city will begin imposing fines for using pesticides to kill lawn weeds. The city still permits the use of pesticides for infestations of grubs and other insects.

Many municipalities were initially reluctant to follow Toronto's lead after CropLife Canada, a trade association whose members include pesticide makers, went to court to challenge the city's right to pass the bylaw. But the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge from CropLife in 2005.

The College of Family Physicians of Ontario released a report in 2005 concluding that various pesticides had adverse health effects. The pesticide industry has countered that the chemicals are safe when used as directed.

Many fruits, including peaches, apples, pears and grapes, were found to contain residues of pesticides, the report said. However, the ban the Liberal Party is contemplating would not apply to farmers.

Both proponents and critics of pesticide use have called on the province to pass legislation on what is permitted. Mr. McGuinty will introduce legislation if his party wins a second term in office. No decision has been made on what the penalties would be for breaking the ban.

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Ontario Liberals
http://www.ontarioliberal.ca/

Wikipedia - Dalton McGuinty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalton_McGuinty

Dalton McGuinty - Liberal
http://www.daltonmcguinty.onmpp.ca/en/index.htm