THE DEFAULT POSITION FAVOURS MONEY NOT THE ENVIRONMENT

On July 7, 2016 the Waterloo Region Record carried this story titled "Court asked to stop approval of pesticide". The pesticides involved are clothianidin and thiamethoxam, both members of a group known as neonicotonoids. This group have been implicated by scientists and governments for extensive damages to bee colonys over the last decade.

The David Suzuki Foundation, Friends of the Earth Canada, Ontario Nature and the Wilderness Committee have all filed a lawsuit in Fedral Court in Toronto aimed at the registration of these pesticides by the federal regulator known as the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).

The claim by the plaintiffs is that without adequate scientific evidence PMRA has been registering and reregistering these products for years for use. In fact PMRA while admitting to concerns regarding these products has been requesting field studies to prove the safety of the product only to wait years without the proponent providing them. Apparently the default position in these cases is not to jeopardize corporate profits versus the health of either humans or the environment.

This Canada is the political attitude all the way down the line provincially, regionally and municipally. This is yet again an example of corrupt politicians taking care of money and influence first and foremost.