sust-mar: URGENT CALL TO ACTION: STOP THE SPRAY!

From: "Emily McMillan" <emilym@sierraclub.ca>
To: <emilym@sierraclub.ca>
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 18:53:53 -0300
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Please circulate! Sorry for cross-postings.

URGENT CALL TO ACTION: STOP THE SPRAY

The Nova Scotia government plans to spray the herbicide Vision in
Cumberland, Colchester and Kings County as soon as next week.  Vision is
sprayed on softwood plantations to kill off hardwoods.  The active
ingredient, glyphosate, has been linked to respiratory problems, birth
defects, miscarriage, and cancer, and has also been shown to be toxic to
fish and persistent in the soil.  Act quickly to send a message that you
don't want this chemical sprayed on your forests! Please help us to stop
this unnecessary practice!

Go to www.sierraclub.ca/atlantic and click on Stop the Spray to send an
email to all of the officials listed below or write your own letter! Also
urgently needed - phone calls to all of the below!! And don't forget letters
to the editor!

The Daily news is doing a poll:  Should the province be spraying herbicides
in public woodlands? Call us at 444-4444, Ext. 5646, or e-mail
sbornais@hfxnews.ca. Be brief. Results will be in Sunday’s paper.

Let's speak up fast and loud and get this stopped!

Feel free to call me with any questions,
Emily
PS Sample letter is below

Contact Information:
Premier John Hamm
Phone: (902) 424-6600
Fax: (902) 424-7648
premier@gov.ns.ca.

Minister of Natural Resources, Richard Hurlburt
Phone: 902-424-4037
Fax: 902-424-0594
min_dnr@gov.ns.ca

Director, Regional Service Branch, Department of Natural Resources
Dan Eidt, 902-424-7594
Fax: 902-424-7735
dleidt@gov.ns.ca

Minister of Enviroment and Labour, Kerry Morash
Phone: 902-424-6647
Fax: 902-424-0575
morashkg@gov.ns.ca

Minister of Health, Angus MacIssac
Phone: 1-800-387-6665
Fax: 902-424-0730
healmin@gov.ns.ca

Darryl Dexter, Leader NDP
Toll Free: 1-888-247-0448
(902) 424-4134
(902) 424-0504 (fax)
ddexter@ns.sympatico.ca

Wayne Gaudet, Interim Leader Liberal Party
Tel: (902) 424-8637
Fax: (902) 424-0539
Toll Free: 1-877-778-1917 - Leave Message
gaudetw@gov.ns.ca

Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley
Brooke Taylor (PC)
Phone: (902) 424-2731
Fax: (902) 424-7484
taylorbd@gov.ns.ca

Colchester North
H. William Langille (PC)
Phone: (902) 424-2731
Fax: (902) 424-7484
langilhw@gov.ns.ca

Cumberland North
Honourable Ernest Fage (PC)
Phone: (902) 424-5790
Fax: (902) 424-0514
Email: econmin@gov.ns.ca

Cumberland South
Honourable Murray Scott (PC)
Phone: (902) 424-2731
Fax: (902) 424-7484
scottmk@gov.ns.ca

Kings North
Mark Parent (PC)
Phone: (902) 424-2731
Fax: (902) 424-7484
parentma@gov.ns.ca

Kings South
Honourable David Morse (PC)
Phone: (902) 424-4304
Fax: (902) 424-0549
morsedm@gov.ns.ca

Kings West
Leo Glavine (L)
Phone: (902) 424-8637
Fax: (902) 424-0539
mglavinla@gov.ns.ca

SAMPLE LETTER

Honourable Richard Hurlburt
Department of Natural Resources
3rd Floor, Founders Square
1701 Hollis Street
P.O Box 698
Halifax, NS B3J 2T9

Dear Mr. Minister:

The people of Nova Scotia are demanding that you put an end to the herbicide
spray programme of the Department of Natural Resources scheduled for this
September.

We feel that the risks to our health and environment outweigh any benefits
of spraying pesticides on our forests.  The active ingredient in the
chemical you plan to spray, glyphosate, has been linked to respiratory
problems, birth defects, miscarriage, and cancer.  A study by eminent
oncologists Dr. Lennart Hardell and Dr. Mikael Eriksson of Sweden has
revealed clear links between glyphosate and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form
of cancer.

Glyphosate has also been shown to kill insects beneficial to ecosystems, to
inhibit the ability of nitrogen fixing bacteria, and it has been shown to be
toxic to fish.  This pesticide has been banned in Denmark due to research
done by the Denmark and Greenland Geological Research Institution, which
shows that glyphosate has the potential to contaminate water supplies.
There are many examples across Canada where provinces and municipalities
have made the decision to stop the use of pesticides due to human health and
environmental concerns.

We question your present silviculture practice of plantation establishment
through the use of the herbicide Vision to ensure establishment of softwoods
by reducing competition from raspberries and primary hardwoods as noted by
DNR official Nancy MacInnis-Leek on CBC Maritime Noon August 25, 2004,
knowing full well there are alternatives more in tune with ecosystem
biodiversity and productivity.  We are calling for a stop to this spray
programme, as you did in 2001 for Hants County.  We also call for a full
public debate and a study into adopting a pesticide code similar to Quebec’
s, where forestry herbicide spraying is banned.  Protect our health and the
health of our environment.

Respectfully,



cc:
Premier John Hamm
Director, Regional Service Branch, Department of Natural Resources, Dan Eidt
Minister of Enviroment and Labour, Kerry Morash
Minister of Health, Angus MacIssac
Darryl Dexter, Leader NDP
Wayne Gaudet, Interim Leader Liberal Party
Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley MLA, Brooke Taylor (PC)
Colchester North, H. William Langille (PC)
Cumberland North, Honourable Ernest Fage (PC)
Cumberland South, Honourable Murray Scott (PC)
Kings North, Mark Parent (PC)
Kings South, Honourable David Morse (PC)
Kings West, Leo Glavine (L)


Emily McMillan
Director, Sierra Club of Canada - Atlantic Canada Chapter
1657 Barrington St., Suite 502
Halifax, NS, B3J 2A1
emilym@sierraclub.ca
Phone: 902-444-3113
Fax: 902-444-3116
www.sierraclub.ca/atlantic

One Earth...One Chance
Become a member today - Online!  Visit:
https://www.sierraclub.ca/national/getinvolved/join.php


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