In a 10-10 tie, council last night defeated a proposed bylaw to ban the cosmetic use of pesticides. The tie vote means the bylaw dies. For now, weeds lose and pesticides survive, but council will reopen the entire issue in two weeks. The vote came after a marathon discussion and intense lobbying over one of the most contentious political debates the city has seen.
The Good News: A pesticide by-law in Ottawa is still alive. After two days and 14 hours and 37 minutes of debate at committee followed and another day and another 7 hours and 15 minutes of debate over a pesticide by-law continues to set records. In fact the debate over a private property by-law started on November 21, 2002 and still unresolved. No other single issue has captured the attention of the community and city council. The matter will go before full city council on November 9th.Wednesday 9 November 2005
Meeting Location: Andrew S. Haydon Hall
Meeting Time: 13:00
Contact: Cathy Wilkie 580-2424 ext. 26837, Cathy.Wilkie@ottawa.ca
The members of city council spoke eloquently and defended our children’s health to the bitter end: Georges Bedard, Michel Bellemare, Mayor Bob Chiarelli, Alex Cullen, Clive Doucet, Peggy Feltmate, Diane Holmes, Peter Hume, Jacques Legendre, Janet Stavinga.
The Bad News: On the table for debate was a very weak pesticide by-law but one that most felt would succeed. That didn’t happen. What happened was councillors who stood behind protecting children’s health were ask to water-down an already weak by-law until the chemical lawn application industry were satisfied. With the chemical lawn application industry directing two particular councillors on draft amendments designed to weakened staff recommendations in order to serve their own self-interests at the expense of public health protection. Despite model by-laws in Toronto and Halifax and UNANIMOUS decisions by Montreal and Vancouver city councils in support of a pesticide by-law, Ottawa City Council couldn’t find the courage or will to adopt one of the weakest pesticide by-laws in Canada. What a shame.The following members of city council sold out to industry interests at the expense of the health of our children: Rick Chiarelli, Diane Deans, Maria McRae. Jan Harder, Glenn Brooks, Gord Hunter, Rob Jellett, Rainer Bloess, Eli El-Chantiry and Shawn Little.