FFWD Weekly
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News
by Jack LockeA scheduled meeting to consider banning the cosmetic use of pesticides in Calgary was postponed last week after it was learned that a report from the Community Vitality and Protection department on the issue was not complete.
The delay in reporting to the city’s operations and environment Committee on September 13 caused an uproar at city hall after about 50 people in attendance to speak on the issue were denied that opportunity. The meeting was postponed until November 29, a delay which prompted the Raging Grannies (a group who dress as grandmothers and sing about peace, environment and social justice issues) to disrupt the meeting with a song demanding the right to be heard.
The incident indicates that Calgary’s Community Vitality and Protection department will not halt the use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes without resistance.
"It’s not as simple as you don’t spray anymore," says Dave Breckon, general manager for City Park Development and Operations. "I think it’s difficult to ban pesticides altogether."
But members of the Campaign for Pesticide Reduction (CPR) believe otherwise, and think that all that is holding the city back is the lack of resolve to seek out alternatives.
"It is as simple as deciding not to spray," says spokesperson Brian Pincott..
Pincott wonders why Calgary lags behind the cities of Halifax, Ottawa and Toronto in using alternatives to pesticides.
"Ottawa just decided not to spray in 1996. Since then they’ve become more creative. They are incredibly pleased with their results and thrilled that they don’t put themselves at risk," he says.
He adds Ottawa adopted a Plant Health Care program which believes healthy plants can withstand invasions of pests and, most importantly, that healthy soil discourages weeds.
The health dangers from pesticides have been recently documented in reports by the Ontario College of Family Physicians and the federal government’s Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. The dangers include cancer, asthma, hormone system disruption, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in children.
At the meeting, Councillor Bev Longstaff, who had brought the matter before council in June, appeared angry that the administration was able to stifle the public hearing from occuring by not producing the report.
While Breckon insists that the delay in reporting was due to "some confusion" and a failure to take notice of city council’s directive, Pincott believes that the report would have been completed if there had been the will.
"The city can do it if there is a willingness. But based on the comments I’ve heard from the city’s Integrated Pest Management coordinator and others, I don’t see a will," he says.
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