moved for leave to introduce Bill C-267, an act to prohibit the use of chemical pesticides for non-essential purposes.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill, titled an act to prohibit the use of chemical pesticides for non-essential purposes, is to place a moratorium on the cosmetic use of chemical pesticides in the home and garden and on recreational facilities, until scientific evidence that shows such use is safe has been presented to parliament and concurred in by a parliamentary committee.
The bill aims to shift the dangerous burden of proof. As things actually stand, the public good bears the burden of proof. We abundantly spray the pesticides in our yards and playgrounds, which are chemicals designed to kill. Yet, we have no evidence, scientific or medical, that accurately demonstrates their safety. Thus we spray these pesticides at the expense of the health of Canadians.
The bill would reverse this situation by requiring proof of pesticide safety, which would have to be submitted to parliament and approved in committee before allowing their use.
I strongly urge this House to consider this bill, the basic purpose of which is to put the health of Canadians before anything else.
Let us, as parliamentarians, give a valentine to all Canadians by adopting the bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
