The Morrissey Report: Health Canada worked with Bayer to discredit valid science
Professor Christy Morrisey published several papers showing high levels of neonicotinoids in Canadian wetlands, including imidacloprid. She also provided unpublished data to Health Canada.
A ban was proposed in 2016 by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada, partly based on her data. It found “the continued high volume use of imidacloprid in agricultural areas is not sustainable”. (PRVD 2016-20)
But then the PMRA turned around and gave the unpublished data to Bayer, without the consent or knowledge of Morrissey. Bayer commissioned a report that called Morrissey’s studies and data “irrelevant” (because GPS coordinates for testing had not been provided).
Bayer also redid her testing, but under different conditions, and provided new water monitoring data that inflated the sample size to lower the concentrations.
Then, in 2021, the PMRA reversed its proposed ban, citing in part the Bayer provided data (Re-evaluation Decision RVD 2021-05 May 19, 2021).
Breach of Principles
This behaviour by PMRA …Read More
Capture of Health Canada by Syngenta – Abamectin
In the story of abamectin, there is evidence of capture: from PMRA working with Syngenta to set up the first residue levels, to PMRA discounting valid scientific findings, to accepting Syngenta’s spurious scientific rationale even when it runs against PMRA’s own policy, to not disclosing information that could damage the proposals requested by Syngenta.
Forest Spraying 1: Based on Faulty Approval
Pesticides are being sprayed on Canadian forests, killing the diversity of forest life. The resulting harms are plant and animal death, destruction of forest foods, and accelerating forest fires.
How is this allowed?
The registration approval for this use of pesticides comes from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada, the agency responsible for “managing pests”. The licenses to spray are then granted by the provinces. (Quebec has banned forestry spraying since 2001.)
PMRA says that unwanted trees and brush are “pests”. Pests are defined in the “Pest Control” law to include “a plant… that is injurious, noxious or troublesome”.
So trees are a troublesome pest? The forest industry and PMRA think they are. The aim of industry is to “harvest” one type of tree “crop”, usually evergreens (conifers), and get rid of the leafy trees (broadleaf) that get in the way – the pests.
The PMRA Glyphosate Approval
Glyphosate …Read More
A Message of Hope, Light and Love
At this time of reflection and resolution, we offer you a message of Hope, Light and Love. We believe this trinity is quite powerful.
Powerful in the spiritual sense, as in “Hope springs eternal” “Light vanquishes darkness” “… and the greatest of these is Love”.
Also powerful strategically, when viewed in a certain way. Here is our thinking:
Consider Hope as goal-setting. A hope for world peace implies a goal “for something” .
Consider Light as the plan or the truth. It sets out the path for how to best get to the goal.
Consider Love as the power that fuels the work. It provides the energy to keep going.
This trinity works in achieving what you want. Take New Years’ resolutions: 1. set the resolution; 2. figure out how to get there; 3. keep at it.
At Safe Food Matters, we use the trinity in our work:
1. Our goals are safer …Read More
EU Renews Glyphosate – Kind of
The European Commission has officially renewed the registration of glyphosate at the European level. But it’s left much of the actual decision making to individual member states.
Desiccation is outlawed, and use within 60 days of harvest is not allowed on agricultural crops. (Safe Food Matters has been in court with Health Canada over this issue for years.)
Risks and assessments left to individual states include:
the coformulants (other ingredients) contained in GLY products
exposure of consumers from foods grown in fields where GLY was sprayed the year prior
protection of groundwater and surface water
risks to small animals
indirect effects on biodiversity
application by people who aren’t professionals
use in public areas
In some cases, the Commission said it wasn’t sure of the risks. It didn’t have good data on small animals, or methods to determine indirect effects on biodiversity, for example.
But it went ahead and approved the pesticide anyways. Various organizations …Read More
Europe to Ban Pre-Harvest Glyphosate on Crops – so should Canada
On November 16, 2023 the European Commission announced it is set to renew glyphosate in Europe for another 10 years, but will ban desiccation – where spraying occurs to kill the crop for easier harvest. Spraying before harvest to kill weeds will also not be allowed for 60 days prior to harvest on farmed crops (1).
We Are Making A Difference on Pesticides
We are Safe Food Matters Inc., and we’re making a difference on pesticides. Our highlights from 2022 include: winning on glyphosate in Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal; obtaining Monsanto confidential test data on glyphosate MRLs; becoming a charity; and suing Health Canada for rejecting public participation in pesticide decision-making.
We hope you’ll consider making a charitable donation to us, because we ARE making a difference. You can donate here.
Federal Court of Appeal: Glyphosate
In February, 2022, we won our case on glyphosate in Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal. The Court ordered Health Canada’s PMRA to look at our objections to the 2017 registration of glyphosate for a second time.
We think our win was a big deal, because the Court set out “Guidance” on how regulators like the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) need to behave when dealing with members of the public who get involved. When making decisions, PMRA needs to show …Read More
SAFE FOOD MATTERS SUES AGAIN ON GLYPHOSATE
November 2, 2022. Safe Food Matters Inc. has launched its second lawsuit against Health Canada over its 2017 re-registration of glyphosate. It claims Health Canada, through the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, acted unreasonably and unfairly when on September 29, 2022 it rejected the group’s objections for the second time.
Safe Food Matters initially sued PMRA in 2019, lost in federal court, then appealed. The appeal was successful and on February 2, 2022, the Federal Court of Appeal directed PMRA to reconsider the objections, and to follow the Guidance of the Court when doing so.
The Court issued the Guidance to avoid the ‘endless merry-go-round of judicial reviews and subsequent redeterminatons’. It aims to force PMRA to do its job and protect Canadians from the harms of pesticides.
Mary Lou McDonald, president of Safe Food Matters, commented:
This is EXACTLY what the Court of Appeal didn’t want – PMRA is making us get on the …Read More
#GivingTuesday
We’re taking Health Canada to court over glyphosate.
We know there are many worthy causes out there, but this Giving Tuesday, please consider a donation to the Safe Food Matters legal fund.
Our Giving Tuesday profile:
https://givingtuesday.ca/
Our Go Fund Me page:
https://www.gofundme.com/
Thanks in advance for your support!
