LETTER FROM CITIZENS CONCERNED ABOUT PESTICIDES

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The following letter was received from the Thunder Bay organization Citizens Concerned About Pesticides (CCAP) through Lake Superior Binational Forum Chemical Committee Co-Chair Jim Vukmanich.

December 22, 2009

Good Morning and Season's Greetings!

I am writing you as Chair of Citizens Concerned About Pesticides (CCAP), a
volunteer community group who has worked over the past several years to
raise political and public awareness about the ecological impacts of using
chemical pesticides. We successfully lobbied City Council to enact a
stringent pesticide ban that was to take effect in 2009, however in the
interim it was superseded by Provincial legislation.

CCAP, like the City of Thunder Bay and the Lake Superior Bi-national Forum
is commitment to protecting Lake Superior and its watershed from toxic
chemicals. We are concerned that banned chemical pesticides stored in homes
and businesses across our community may be improperly used or disposed of.
As Chair of LSBF and manager of the city's water supply I can imagine you
would be as concerned as we would be if out date/illegal pesticides ended up
in the landfill site and not treated as toxins.

CCAP would like to offer our assistance to the City and the LSBF in
developing a public education program and a community wide round-up of
chemical pesticides.

We also recognize the significant threat that mercury poses to public safety
and the environment. Batteries and other products containing mercury could
also be included in this round-up. We understand there may be Environment
Canada funding for this type of initiative.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Ann McGoey,
Chair, Citizens Concerned About Pesticides