URGENT: PESTICIDE BYLAW COULD BE FINALIZED JULY 11

Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2000 06:05:03 -0300
From: Helen Jones <hjones@chebucto.ns.ca>
Organization: Chebucto Community Net
To: Sustainable Maritimes <sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>

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HALIFAX REGIONAL COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AND POSSIBLY VOTE ON PESTICIDE BYLAW
NOW

FINAL DISCUSSION ON BYLAW IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY JULY 11TH [STAFF REPORT IS
EXPECTED]
 
COUNCIL SESSION BEGINS AT 6:OO PM.

IF YOU CAN, PLEASE ATTEND.  
Council needs to know you care and are watching.  
 
COUNCIL HAS A WIDE RANGE OF CHOICES (NOT ALL OF THEM ARE GOOD) 
THEY CAN:
* Shelve the report - if they do this we have lost.

* Delay further - giving industry a golden opportunity to influence the
outcome of the municipal elections in October.  NOTE: a built-in
requirement for a review of the bylaw in two years has been mentioned by
the Mayor.  This would provide further incentive for industry to try to
change the make-up of Council now.  The wrong people on Council can and
will obstruct our progress toward a healthier community.

* Pass a weakened bylaw  -  This could happen in various ways. 
Examples:  (1) A "Notification-Only" bylaw (industry's choice), or a
"Buffer zone" bylaw would allow the use of landscape pesticides to
continue or even increase, and
would fail to protect children walking to and from school - or the rest
of the community.  (2) Outdoor pesticides may be restricted only in
downtown city areas. (3) The public education phase could be drawn out,
with no promise of any real regulatory change.  (4) Essential features,
such as pesticide-free zones near schools or drinking water wells, could
either be lacking or too slow in coming. (NOTE: These are temporary
until the phase out is complete.)

* OR - COUNCIL CAN DO THE RIGHT THING, FOLLOWING THE CLEAR ADVICE OF THE
MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND THE FEDERAL HOUSE OF COMMONS REPORT ON PESTICIDES,
AND PASS A BYLAW THAT WILL EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND PHASE OUT COSMETIC
PESTICIDE USE FOR THE HEALTH OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

Thanks to all in the community for the wonderful support so far of every
one of the five public hearings on the Pesticide Bylaw (two preliminary
"committee-of-the-whole" hearings, and three official "Public
Hearings").  
 
YOUR PRESENCE FOR THESE FINAL DELIBERATIONS ON THE PESTICIDE BYLAW WILL
HELP COUNCIL MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE.  Phoning or e-mailing your
Councillor now is more valuable than ever. contact information is
available at 490-4050; to e-mail your Councillor go to:
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/RATE/Email_Councillors.html


Helen Jones and Maureen Reynolds
Members, Pesticide Bylaw Advisory Committee for HRM


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The preceding message was posted on the Sustainable Maritimes
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