I’ve been dealing with this issue for five years, explains the representative from Fredericton, New Brunswick. Jenica Atwin, previously elected by the Greens, joined Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in June 2021.
She has filed a petition (New Window) in the House of Commons which is open for signatures until Friday evening. The text calls on German Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos to ban the sale and use of glyphosate to protect human health and the environment.
The MP also tabled a private member’s bill (New Window) that proposes deregistering products containing glyphosate and prohibiting the manufacture, possession, handling, storage, transportation, importation, distribution or to ban the use of glyphosate as a pesticide.
Jenica Atwin has very little hope of her bill moving forward in the current session of Parliament as it sits at the bottom of the Liberal caucus pile. However, she does not lose hope: I want the conversation to continue.
“I have had several briefings with Health Canada and many discussions with Minister Duclos about my concerns. And really, my colleagues have given me a lot of support and encouragement. I did not expect that. »
– A quote from Jenica Atwin, Liberal MP for Fredericton.
The Liberal-elect sees an openness among her peers to take inspiration from Quebec and ban the application of glyphosate on forests, as we often see in New Brunswick. But the member also notes a lot of reluctance to ban it from farming. It’s an uphill battle, she said.
I realize that most people are unaware of the many uses and effects of glyphosate. So that’s my job, says the deputy.
Ottawa is regularly criticized for its tolerance of the pesticide and herbicide industry. Just before the 2021 election campaign began, the Trudeau administration faltered in the face of popular pressure when Health Canada proposed to increase the allowable levels of glyphosate residues in legumes.
Media pressure revealed that Bayer, a multinational company that manufactures and markets glyphosate, had asked the federal government to make the change.
MP criticizes Health Canada’s decision-making
Currently, the vast majority of the studies on which the government bases its decisions are produced by the herbicide manufacturers themselves.
I don’t agree with this system, says Jenica Atwin. I want more research, not just corporate research.
“Our health and safety should come first, and that includes habitats and ecosystems. »
– A quote from Jenica Atwin, Liberal MP for Fredericton.
The health minister’s office claims the pesticides are being used in Canada [sont] safe for human health, wildlife and the environment.
Minister Duclos is determined to carry out his mandate to modernize and strengthen the Pesticides Act, his team assures. As such, he has a close relationship with MP Atwin as part of their tireless work to protect Canadians from the risks associated with pesticide use.
Following criticism in 2021, Ottawa vowed to include independent scientists in its review process. The government also announced a $50 million investment to improve the availability of independent data from universities, NGOs and governments.
The David Suzuki Foundation welcomes MP’s initiative
I hope Rep. Jenica Atwin’s petition will spur the government into action, said Lisa Gue, national policy officer at the David Suzuki Foundation.
She recalls that Canada pledged at COP15 in Montreal last month to halve pesticide-related risks by 2030 to protect biodiversity. Developing a comprehensive plan to reduce Canada’s overall use of pesticides, including glyphosate, is fundamental, says Lisa Gue.