HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-04-19, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2000.
Letters to the editor .
Physician argues against pesticides
THE EDITOR,
As a physician, I spend much of
my professional time in dialogue
with people whose greatest desire is
to be healthy. So often, I witness this
desire threatened by individual and
collective practices. Such is the case
with the urban, cosmetic use of pes
ticides.
There are no compelling reasons
for the cosmetic use of pesticides.
Beautiful and healthy gardens exist
ed long before the advent of pesti
cides.
The use of pesticides is relatively
new. Pesticides were developed and
promoted by the big chemical com
panies after the Second World War.
Once the war was over, the demand
for the chemical agents of war plum
meted. The giant chemical industries
were keen to find new peacetime
markets for their products. Some
changes were made to the chemical
structure of these wartime chemicals
and a new genre of synthetic chemi
cals was bom.
The chemical industry then
financed a large promotional cam
paign and, for the most part, an
unwitting public responded by
allowing more and more of these
agents to affect their lives and
health.
At a commercial level, industry
was successful. The chemical lawn
care business has produced billions
of dollars in profits for the manufac
turing industry and its associated
businesses over the last 50 years.
However, these huge profits have
exacted a high toll, as manifested in
the loss of human health and in envi
ronmental degradation.
The World Health Organization
has estimated that over 20,000
deaths occur annually as a result of
pesticide use. Gro Harlem
Brundtland of Norway, in the mile
stone report, Our Common Future,
stated that, “Overuse of chemicals to
control insects, pests, weeds and
fungi threatens the health of humans
and the lives of other species.
Continuing long-term exposure to
pesticides and chemical residues in
foods, water and even in the air, is
hazardous, particularly to children.”
More recently, Professor James
Voogt, assistant professor at the
University of Western Ontario and
chairperson of an ad hoc committee
which was formed to study London’s
air quality (or lack of it) has suggest
ed many remedial actions to improve
local air quality. One such recom
mendation is to prohibit the spraying
of pesticides (and the use of gas-
powered lawn mowers) on smog
alert days. Hopefully, this trend to
limit the unnecessary use of pesti
cides will continue.
Professor Voogt’s committee is not
alone in its concerns about the dan
gers of pesticides. Many municipali
ties have now reviewed the data con
cerning these dangers.
Municipalities such as Ottawa,
Toronto, Waterloo, Kitchener and
Cambridge are examples of commu
nities which now have restrictive
policies and bylaws for the cosmetic
use of pesticides on publicly owned
land.
Many assume that because pesti
cides are legal they are safe. This is
a dangerous assumption. The smok
ing of tobacco and the consumption
of alcohol are legal activities for
adults in our society. We are all
aware of the toll which these behav
iours take on human health. Legality
does not necessarily equate with
either safety, health or justice.
Whether or not we use pesticides
reflects on our personal commitment
to earth stewardship. On looking at
the larger issue of human earth stew
ardship, the mystic Hildegaard of
Bingen reminds us of the aw'esome
blessing of life and of creation on
earth, “The high, the low, all of cre
ation, God gives to human kind to
use. If this privilege is misused,
God’s justice permits creation to
punish humanity.”
Perhaps the rapid contemporary
rise in the incidence of prostate and
testicular cancer in men, breast can
cer in women and brain tumors in
children are signs to us that we have
strayed.
Regrettably, the unnecessary use
of pesticides in the urban setting is a
prominent feature of our contem
porarily consumerist culture. John
O’Donohue, in his recent book,
Eternal Echos, reflects,
“Consumerist culture establishes its
own gaudy hierarchies. In admiring
the achievement and velocity of
these tiger economies, we refuse to
notice the paw marks of its ravages
and the unglamorous remains of its
prey.”
There is no doubt that those who
succumb to illness and those who die
as a result of exposure to pesticides
are examples of the unglamorous
remains of its prey.
Sincerely,
Jim Hollingworth, M.D.,
Founding Member,
Canadian Association of
Physicians for the Environment.
MPP responds to writer
THE EDITOR,
This letter is in response to the let
ter to the editor from Hanz Mayer in
the April 12, 2000 edition of The
Citizen.
Mr. Mayer wrote to the paper with
concerns about Bill 57, which
amended the Liquor Licence Act to
allow brew on premise operations.
This Bill received all party support
and was developed with the input of
Red Tape Commissions and stake
holders as the Ontario government
received a number of concerns from
brew on premise operators.
In 1992, due to concerns about
evolving market practices, the then
Liquor Licence Board of Ontario
issued voluntary advertising and
responsible operation guidelines for
brew on premise operators. The
objective was to ensure the customer
was involved in the necessary steps
to make beer or wine for their own
purpose.
As some operators began assum
ing more of the customers’ responsi
bilities to the point of selling fin
ished product, the government was
asked to develop regulations for the
sector that would level the playing
field and ensure all brew on premis
es were operating on the same basis.
Ontario is now only the second
jurisdiction in Canada to allow beer
or wine to be made for personal con
sumption outside of a person’s resi
dence.
Brew on premise facilities were
never intended to provide storage of
alcohol and under both federal and
provincial law, storage facilities for
alcohol must be licensed and meet
strict bonding, operating and audit
standards.
The production, sale and con
sumption of alcohol is a matter that
requires regulation to ensure respon
sible sales and consumption. The
brew on premise regulation will both
encourage the long-term viability of
the industry, and eliminate the poten
tial for illegal activities.
I would like to also address the
comment Mr. Mayer made in his let
ter wherein he stated “We tried to
contact Helen Johns MPP, Robert
Runciman, minister of consumer and
commercial relations and Premier
Mike Harris by mail on March 3.
Predictably we didn’t get a reply.”
My constituency office received
Mr. Mayer’s letter dated March 3,
2000 on March 13, 2000. We have a
policy of a 21-day turn around peri
od for correspondence as we receive
a number of letters weekly and we
personally answer each letter. Mr.
Mayer’s letter was answered by my
office on April 4, 2000.
Respectfully, the information
above was. submitted to Mr. Mayer
in the Honourable Robert
Runciman’s letter of April 6, 2000.
Yours truly,
Helen Johns, MPP
Huron-Bruce.
E thelThe news from
[Compiled by Margaret McMahon Phone 887-9250
Couple celebrates
silver anniversary
On Saturday evening a potluck
supper was held at the Ethel Hall in
honour of Douglas and Doreen
(Mason) Hamilton’s 25th wedding
anniversary.
Douglas and Doreen were married
at Londesboro United Church on
April 25, 1975. They now reside in
Palmerston and have two daughter
Lee Ann and Valerie.
Eighty friends and co-workers
from Campbell Soup, Listowel set
down to a bountiful meal with the
main dessert being a blue and white
decorated anniversary cake which
had been baked by Doreen’s mother,
Pearl Mason of Londesboro.
An address in the form of the
alphabet was read by Rose
Feeny which entailed the past 25
years.
A lively social time of visiting fol
lowed and Douglas and Doreen were
the recipients of many lovely gifts
and cards.
They expressed their appreciation
to one and all for the cards and gifts
as well as thanking all those who had
put the time and work into the prepa
rations for the party.
Alzheimer Society of
Huron County
Special Steps Training
Wed., April 26 & Thurs., April 27, 2000
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Huron County Health Unit
Would you like to become a special steps companion?
The Alzheimer Society of Huron County is holding a 2
night training session for individuals who would like to
become involved in a walking program for people who
have Alzheimer Disease and other dementia.
Please call the office to pre-register
482-1482 or 1-800-561-5012
MADD HURON/BRUCE
Poster & Essay Contest 2000
Kids ten and under and eleven to fourteen can win cash
prizes and more with posters and essays best expressing
their concerns about the dangers of drinking and driving
in a creative way. The theme for this year’s contest is:
“My life is in your hands —
Don’t Drink and Drive.”
Entry forms with details and rules of the contest will be
available at your school or call 357-4552 and one will be
mailed to you. This contest is sponsored by the
Huron/Bruce Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
and MADD Canada.
Entries must be received by MADD Huron/Bruce by June
15, 2000 and become the property of MADD Canada.
V) Ontario