George Murphy Question Period (05.03.2012)

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John’s East.

MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in July 2011 this government instituted a ban on five pesticides used for cosmetic purposes. Such chemicals as 2.4-D, mecoprop and dicamba were supposed to be removed off store shelves before the next growing season. In spite of the weather, we are there.

Mr. Speaker, any product that contained any of these five chemicals was also supposed to fall under this ban.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MURPHY: Mr. Speaker, yesterday I went chemical shopping and found these pesticides still on the store shelves.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MURPHY: Mr. Speaker, is the minister enforcing the ban on these chemicals, and what is his department going to do to (inaudible)?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FRENCH: Yes, Mr. Speaker, we banned what I called the big five last year. We had numerous meetings with the landscaping industry as well as concerned environmental groups here in the Province, and that was the five we committed to, and we did ban the five. The hon. member is right, that they should be banned. They are banned; they are not allowed to be used as of May 1 this year.

I just want to remind the hon. member - he seems to have bought them recently – I hope they were not on the black market, Mr. Speaker. I also hope he does not use them, because if he uses them, Mr. Speaker, he will be facing a significant fine.