Sierra congratulates Senate committee looking at bee health

MEDIA RELEASE, May 27, 2015

OTTAWA – The Sierra Club Canada Foundation congratulates the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry on the publication of its report: “The Importance of Bee Health to Sustainable Food Production in Canada”.

Although the Committee failed to call for an outright ban on bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides, it did recognize their impact of on bee health in Canada.

The Committee accepted Sierra Club Canada Foundation’s recommendation that Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) reduce the number of ‘conditional’ registrations currently granted for pesticides containing neonicotinoid active ingredients.

“I think the Senators were as astounded as we were to discover that 55 bee-killing pesticides are on the market with back-door ‘conditional’ registrations,” said John Bennett, National Program Director, Sierra Club Canada Foundation. ‘Conditional’ registrations are a scam in the first place. If pesticide makers can’t provide scientific evidence proving their products are safe, they shouldn’t be allowed in the marketplace.”

The Senate joins the Ontario government in supporting greater action to protect bees and other pollinators from bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides.

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John Bennett, National Program Director
Sierra Club Canada Foundation
1510-1 Nicholas Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7
jb@sierraclub.ca
(613) 291-6888
John on Twitter / Bennett Blog

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