For immediate release:
May 27, 2008

Barrett asks: “Where is the scientific evidence on pesticide/cancer links?”

Queen’s Park – The McGuinty government’s proposed pesticide ban leaves far too many questions unanswered according to Toby Barrett, local MPP and Opposition Critic to the Environment.

“It's an issue that has to be based on science,” Barrett told the Ontario Legislature yesterday. “Our concern is that the premise of this legislation seems to suggest, and some of us are of a farm background, that there is something inherently wrong with these products. That is a threat to the forest industry and to the farming industry, because it undermines people's confidence in these various products.”

Barrett went on to say that he continually hears the arguments with respect to linking certain cancers to pesticides but has yet to see the evidence presented in the Ontario Legislature from the McGuinty government. He questioned which particular product is linked to which particular cancer.

“Was the cancer related to glyphosate, for example, which is banned in Toronto? This legislation, brought forward by the McGuinty Liberals, will allow the use of glyphosate, a product produced by Monsanto. It's called Roundup. I've been using it for decades. Will you allow that particular product to go forward, or is that product linked to certain cancers?”

Since the legislation to ban the cosmetic use of pesticides was introduced a few weeks ago, Barrett has been calling for increased research on the file and maintains that such important decisions should not be made on emotion.

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For more information please contact
MPP Toby Barrett at 1-800-903-8629