Blue Like You

Archive for the ‘environmentalists’ Category

Even though Waterloo Region has just finished the first year of a partial pesticide ban and even though Dalton McGuinty is pushing for a province-wide pesticide ban in his re-election platform, City of Waterloo Councillor Angela Vieth is demanding a bylaw for a year-round ban that would start as early as January of 2008.

“This community is ready for this and people will comply,” Vieth said.

“It’s time. I want it done. It’s got to be done by 2008 and, I’m sorry, we’ve been waiting too long for this.”

Never mind what lawn care companies and homeowners want.

Oh, but she has a formidable ally:

The Canadian Cancer Society is calling on the city to impose a total ban on cosmetic pesticide use, said Diane Hawrylenko, the local society’s public issues chair.

While scientists haven’t proven a conclusive link between pesticides and cancer rates, the society is concerned about the long-term health effects of pesticide exposure, especially when there is no health benefit to using pesticides, she said.

I wonder if the city’s Grey Silo Golf Course would still be exempt under Vieth’s agenda? Health benefits… Well, it is healthy to play golf, I suppose. But what about those pesticides? Aren’t they poisonous, according to Vieth? Your hand touches the golf ball that came in contact with all those horrible pesticides, right? And you inhale the air. That can’t be good.

Anyway, it seems that Councillor Vieth’s mind is made up, so lawn care companies best pack up and move elsewhere:

“The debate is over,” she said. “There are no more excuses. We are way behind on this issue. Just do it, and do it right please.

But Dalton already promised a pesticide ban if re-elected, right? And according to the polls, McGuinty is still ahead, right?

So why all this duplication of effort?

Is it possible that Councillor Vieth doesn’t believe Dalton’s promises either?