Discussion · Adjournment Proceedings
Elizabeth May Green
“This bill lets the government overturn health decisions on pesticides. Our pesticide rules are already weaker than those in the European Union and Brazil. The European Union has rejected Canadian crops because they have cancer-causing chemicals on them. We should make our pesticide rules stronger, not weaker, so our farmers can sell their crops around the world.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is very disheartening that the hon. Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister for Health does not realize that Bill C-30 already says that, based on complete political discretion, cabinet can overturn a decision made by the Minister of Health and by the pest management regulatory agency. We already have weaker pesticide regulations in this country than the European Union or even Brazil. Canadian crops have been turned back, so it is an economic question too. It is in the economic interest of Canadian farmers to make sure our products can be exported around the world as we diversify our trade. The European Union has already rejected grains, lentils, pulses and other products from Canada because we have too much contamination with products that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined to be carcinogenic. Why do we have lax pesticide regulation and continue to make it weaker?”
Mr. Speaker, it is very disheartening that the hon. Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister for Health does not realize that Bill C-30 already says that, based on complete political discretion, cabinet can overturn a decision made by the Minister of Health and by the pest management regulatory agency. We already have weaker pesticide regulations in this country than the European Union or even Brazil. Canadian crops have been turned back, so it is an economic question too. It is in the economic interest of Canadian farmers to make sure our products can be exported around the world as we diversify our trade. The European Union has already rejected grains, lentils, pulses and other products from Canada because we have too much contamination with products that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined to be carcinogenic. Why do we have lax pesticide regulation and continue to make it weaker?