[Daily Business Buzz 14 Nov 2013] — A Canadian citizens group landed at Stratford town council meeting Wednesday, asking it to become the first in the Prince Edward Island province to issue a municipal ban on cosmetic pesticides. Maureen Kerr, on behalf of Pesticide Free PEI, read a letter to council from resident Keslie MacEachern. "It baffles my mind that even with so many other provinces in Canada banning cosmetic pesticides and the Canadian and American medical and paediatric societies stating the real risks and dangers of cosmetic pesticides, that nothing has seemed to change," said MacEachern, who says she is a mother of a toddler and another baby on the way. "My wish is that the Town of Stratford will be the first town in Prince Edward Island to stand up and protect the health of its community by banning the residential use of cosmetic pesticides," read Kerr. Already on it, but not possible yet, said Councillor Diane Griffin. She said that the current P.E.I. Municipalities Act gives no opportunity for such a ban, unlike Quebec where the Supreme Court of Canada granted that opportunity to the town of Hudson. Stratford is nevertheless gearing up for public consultation on the issue of cosmetic pesticides. Changes by the province proposed, but yet unseen, to the Municipalities Act may give Stratford the ban opportunity at some later date, said Griffin. She expects a multi-prong strategy of focus groups, emails, surveys and meetings to roll out in the new year, inviting Stratford residents to weigh in on the issue.] Resident Roger Gordon spoke, challenging Stratford to "pick up the ball" that the province dropped in passing the "worst regulations in the country ... Protect the citizens from the spray-wielding intruders who invade our community with their trucks, drums, and heinous spraying equipment," said Gordon. He asked council to prepare for "the expected onslaught in the spring by the purveyors of poisons." There are lawyers willing to help Stratford with that, said Gordon. [Photo: Maureen Kerr and Roger Gordon prepare to make a presentation to the monthly meeting of Stratford Town Council requesting the municipality ban cosmetic pesticides.] 
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