Canadian farmers who have been frustrated by limited access to
pesticides should prepare themselves for significant improvements
because of new government funding and rules, the head of the Pest
Management Regulatory Agency told MPs.
“I think we’re finally on solid ground to move forward,” PMRA executive
director Claire Franklin told the House of Commons agriculture
committee Dec. 10. “Just fasten your seat belts because in the next
year, you’re going to see some really significant progress.”
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The key change has been a federal commitment of $54 million this year,
most of which will be used to create a centre within Agriculture Canada
where research and data collection will result in applications to the
agency for minor use chemical registration.
There also will be a greater ability to consider the validity of data
used by the Americans to approve minor use products.
During a Parliament Hill appearance by Franklin, MPs expressed their
continued frustration with the agency and the issue of Canadian farmers
not having access to the same chemicals that American competitors have.
“We’ve been apologizing for this department more than any other
department in this government, other than perhaps firearms,” said rural
Ontario Liberal Paul Steckle. “It’s been a terrible thing for us.”
The message from Franklin and recently appointed minor use chemical
adviser Imme Gerke was that things are looking up. The government has
given both Agriculture Canada and the agency more money and a greater
commitment to make minor use chemicals available in Canada.
Mary Komarynsky from Agriculture Canada said the government is
determined to be more accessible and transparent to farmers. “We have
committed to an advisory committee that will be made up of industry,
that is growers, pesticide companies, growers …”
MPs at the committee said they were happy with the promises of progress
but they were unhappy that the government had ignored the earlier
agriculture committee proposal that a minor use adviser and a
pesticides adviser be appointed, both responsible to ministers or to
Parliament. Instead, the minor use adviser position was created as the
only watchdog and will report to the agency’s executive director.
Liberal MP Larry McCormick, parliamentary secretary to the agriculture
minister, said the committee was clear that the watchdog should report
to Agriculture Canada.
“That’s what we asked for and yet we didn’t make any progress at all.”
Canadian Alliance MP David Anderson also asked why there weren’t two
watchdogs independent of the agency.
Franklin said the Canadian system should mirror the American system and
there, the minor use adviser is located within the chemical approval
system.
She said it was a government decision that there would not be an
independent pesticides ombudsman.
Franklin said some Canadian players seemed confused because the
Americans created a position of “minor crop ombudsman” that was really
an adviser. So there is no need for an ombudsman and an adviser, she
said.
