The federal government is imposing restrictions on the use
of neonicitinoid pesticides, especially for orchards and strawberry fields.
But it is allowing the continued use of two of the
neonicitinoids as seed treatments for corn, oilseeds and grains.
The restrictions fall far short of what environmentalists
want.
The measures are for clothianidin and thiamethoxam
which have been used both as an insect-killing spray in orchards and on
strawberries and as a coating on seeds.
More restrictions are on the way for other uses such
as on berries and legumes.
"Scientific evidence shows that with the proposed
restrictions applied, the use
of clothianidin and thiamethoxam does not present an
unacceptable risk to bees," said Margherita Conti, an
official with Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency.
Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth
Canada, said pressure from pesticide manufacturers and users led to the
government's "gutless" and "inadequate" response.
"That's not addressing the long-term issues we
have with these pesticides building up in the soil, building up in the
wildflowers, in the vegetation," she told CBC News. "It's like a
half-pregnant approach. It's impossible, what they're doing, in terms of having
a positive impact."
A coalition of environmental and health groups
including Équiterre, the David Suzuki Foundation, Environmental Defence,
the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and the
Canadian Environmental Law Association issued a news release urging Canada to
follow the lead of other countries with stronger measures against
neonicotinoids, such as Italy’s ban.
But farmers and pesticide companies have argued that
when neonicitinoids are used with care, bee colonies are able to survive.
