CALGARY – A group of Calgary high school students plan to don hazmat suits today to present a pesticide petition to Mayor Dave Bronconnier in advance of what’s expected to be a contentious city council vote on the issue.
"We wanted something very solid to give to aldermen and the mayor," says Walter Pang, 16.
The Grade 12 Sir Winston Churchill High School student first hatched the idea over coffee last week with fellow environmental activists from three other Calgary schools.
The youths managed to collect more than 600 signatures urging aldermen to pass the bylaw, which would place stronger restrictions on cosmetic pesticide use.
Although the youth would like to see the "complete eradication" of the cosmetic chemicals, Pang said the bylaw is a "definite step in the right direction."
Council will vote today on a set of proposed principles that will be used to craft a bylaw on the use of pesticide use with the goal of an eventual ban of chemicals on both public and private property.
It has been a thorny issue for city council, akin to the divisive smoking bylaw, said Ald. Druh Farrell.
"There are mixed feelings with it," said Farrell.
"Certainly the vast majority of my constituents would like a ban but of course, opinion isn’t unanimous.
"It reminds me very much of the smoking bylaw . . . we lagged behind other cities but we eventually got there."
After a marathon public hearing last month, a council committee approved the broad outline of a bylaw that would be much weaker than bans elsewhere in Canada.
Calgary’s rules would allow some spot spraying of chemicals, but it would reduce or ban herbicides meant to be sprayed over large areas.
Licensed applicators such as lawn-care companies would face tougher licensing standards and be required to warn neighbours before treating a lawn. But they wouldn’t face outright banks at the outset.
But even a phased approach is expected to be controversial, with Farrell predicting a heated debate and close vote on the proposed principles.
"I think it will be very close," said Farrell, adding she will support what the majority of her constituents want and vote in favour of moving ahead with a pesticide bylaw.
"A lot of members of council in their election promises have promised to support a ban and then have turned around and backtracked."
Another alderman said he "wouldn’t be surprised" to see a council member try to reintroduce the idea of an outright pesticide ban, rather and reduction.
"There are a variety of ideologies around the table," said Ald. Ric McIver.
However, McIver said he thinks the city ought to stick with the reduction plan.
"Usually the word ban ends up causing unintended consequences in other areas. I think it’s more prudent to find ways of reducing pesticide use and working along with the best knowledge and science along the way. When the evidence supports a ban then perhaps the provincial or federal laws should do it."
Coalition for a Healthy Calgary asked on its website that people e-mail and phone aldermen and urge them to vote in favour of the proposed principles for the bylaw, which is supposed to be drafted by December.
"Please tell the aldermen that,’Calgary’s pesticide bylaw must include the incremental phase out of pesticides used for non-essential purposes to protect the health and wellness of Calgarians and the environment’," the group’s website states.
w
swilton@theherald.canwest.com
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