Edmonton Journal

Less chemicals and more vanity plates QUIT THE PARIS ACCORD: FILDEBRAND­T

Liberals question pesticide regulation­s; Fildebrand­t wants out of Paris Accord

- EMMA GRANEY egraney@postmedia.com twitter.com/EmmaLGrane­y

The Alberta Liberals want an independen­t review of Alberta’s pesticide-use regulation­s and how they’re monitored, enforced and reported.

Pesticide use increased by more than 60 per cent in the province between 2003 and 2013. The Liberals say that’s worrying Albertans, as is the lack of enforcemen­t and accountabi­lity.

Sheryl McCumsey, with Pesticide Free Alberta, said provincial compliance officers aren’t properly monitoring pesticide applicatio­ns or fully investigat­ing public complaints of violations. She said there have been no answers from the environmen­t ministry.

Liberal MLA David Swann said Albertans should be using less pesticides, with numerous studies linking some pesticides with harmful effects on human health.

SHOW US YOUR TEAM

Hockey enthusiast­s rejoice — you can now show support for your team via newly released specialty licence plates. As long as you’re an Oilers or Flames supporter, of course.

Money raised from the plates will benefit the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and the Calgary Flames Foundation.

The plates can be ordered from Alberta registry agents for $75 plus a registry-agent charge. Of that, $55 goes to charity, and $20 to the government to cover the costs of producing and shipping the plates.

The new designs expand the existing specialty licence-plate program, which features the popular Support Our Troops design, honouring members of the Canadian Forces.

The Alberta legislatur­e spent two hours Monday debating a motion by Freedom Conservati­ve MLA Derek Fildebrand­t calling on the Alberta government to reject co-operation with Ottawa on the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Fildebrand­t called the targets in the multilater­al agreement “outrageous­ly unrealisti­c” objectives that “no country on the planet is currently headed towards actually meeting.”

Fildebrand­t’s motion was defeated Monday night.

 ?? JIM WELLS ?? John Bean, left, president of Calgary Sports and Entertainm­ent Corporatio­n, Brian Malkinson, minister of service Alberta, and Natalie Minckler, executive director of Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, show off the province’s latest personaliz­ed licence plates.
JIM WELLS John Bean, left, president of Calgary Sports and Entertainm­ent Corporatio­n, Brian Malkinson, minister of service Alberta, and Natalie Minckler, executive director of Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, show off the province’s latest personaliz­ed licence plates.

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