Pesticides, pollution and licence plates

EDMONTON 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, nor are they fully investigating public complaints of violations. She said despite raising the issue with the environment ministry, there have been no answers.

Liberal MLA David Swann said Albertans should be using less pesticides, not more, with numerous studies linking some pesticides and their harmful effect 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 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. Quit Paris Accord, Fildebrandt says: The Alberta legislature spent two hours Monday debating a motion by Freedom Conservative MLA Derek Fildebrandt — for the Alberta government to reject co-operation with Ottawa on the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

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

The motion was defeated Monday night.