Younger Pushes For Amendments To Strengthen Pesticide Bill
Liberal MLA for Dartmouth East Andrew Younger will be introducing amendments to the government's pesticide bill when it reaches the Law Amendments committee.The amendments will:
* Remove police and RCMP from the definition of inspector under the act
* Clarify the definition of lawn for the purpose of the act
* Clarify the process by which the minister selects and consults the public on additions to
the permitted products list
“Ideally, the department’s own compliance officers should be responsible for enforcing the pesticide ban, not the police,” says Younger. “While it may not have been the intention of the government to have our police as enforcers of this legislation, the legislation as it stands now will still require the police and RCMP to respond to complaints about pesticide usage.”
The Liberal environment critic says his proposed amendment would still permit a municipality to ask the minister to designate their police force if they wished, but would not automatically assign that enforcement burden to all police officers in Nova Scotia.
The changes to the definition of lawn would remove an apparent loophole that allows any unmaintained property to be exempt from the act.
Younger’s amendment around the creation of the permitted products list would ensure that the minister first publicize any product and the information supporting its inclusion on the allowable list.
This would ensure transparency in how decisions are reached on products which will continue to be allowed on lawns, shrubs, and other landscaping.
"The Liberal caucus is among a large majority of Nova Scotians who are supportive of banning the use of cosmetic pesticides," says Younger. "We are prepared to work with the government to get the bill passed in the legislature, but we want to ensure the legislation does what is intended without creating unnecessary burdens."
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