Mr. Speaker, last month I asked the Minister of Health when he would introduce legislation amending the Pesticide Products Control Act. He replied that he would table it in due course.
The proposed amendments to this act have a long history. The consultations began in 1989 and culminated in 1990 with a publication of the pesticides regulatory review team's report. The report recommended modernizing the pesticide registration system in order to further enhance the protection of human health, safety and the ecosystem. This would be achieved by minimizing risks associated with pesticides while still allowing the controlled use of pest control products. It is worth noting that health, environment, agriculture and the chemical industry representatives unanimously supported the report's recommendations.
In 1994 the government began to implement the recommendations put forward by this review team. First, the government transferred the responsibility for the Pest Control Products Act from the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food to the Department of Health.
Then a Pest Management Regulatory Agency was created within the health department. This agency is charged with administering pesticide regulation as well as other pesticide related methods. The agency contains a pesticide alternatives office for advising on the availability of possible alternatives during the pesticide registration process.
Eight years after the start of the consultation process, the 1969 Pest Products Control Act is still waiting to be amended. Our dependence on pesticides in agriculture, urban settings, forestry, aquaculture, you name it, is still considerable. Such dependence can negatively affect human health. It can lead to water pollution and damage to the ecosystem.
It is now most desirable that the government move quickly with amendments that would accelerate the reduction of this dependence on toxic substances. Therefore, eight years later speed is of the essence and new legislation is due within the life of this Parliament.
Again tonight I ask the minister through his parliamentary secretary, when will the legislation to amend the 1969 Pest Control Products Act be introduced in the House?