Cornwall Councillor Elaine Barnes broke down in tears while discussing cosmetic pesticides at Wednesday's council meeting.
She was the first councillor to speak after citizens presented a petition pushing Cornwall to put a ban on cosmetic pesticides.
Barnes said a family member has a fatal lung disease and the very day of the council meeting she had been receiving training on how to be a support for people with that disease.
"I know the causes, I know the impacts," she said. "It's very clear how I stand on it."
What is not clear to the group of seven residents at the council meeting is why Cornwall does not yet have a bylaw against cosmetic pesticides.
"It's been over a year now that we have been talking to them," said Christine Gordon-Manley, the resident who presented the petition.
It has 155 names, of which 115 are residents and the others "have a vested interest in our town," said Gordon-Manley.
"I think they are hoping it will go away," she said after the meeting.
Barnes said she was thinking of presenting a resolution to Cornwall council that very night, to adopt the exact same pesticide bylaw as Stratford, but was told she would not get support for that just yet.
She asked council to meet as a whole before the next monthly council meeting, look over Stratford's pesticide bylaw, then bring a similar one to the November meeting.
Mayor Minerva McCourt said the issue needs patience.
"It has been on the minds of all the councillors," said McCourt. "In the very near future there will most likely be a resolution come forward."
Discussion by council after Gordon-Manley presented the petition gave a hint at one stumbling block.
Coun. Peter Meggs kept up a theme that has been bothering him for years, that the province should bear the brunt of formulating and enforcing a more effective pesticide ban, not municipalities.
RELATED: Province must take lead on banning cosmetic pesticides, Cornwall councillor says
"I hate cosmetic pesticides as much as the next person," said Meggs. "I just think that the people who should be doing this job are not doing this job."
"We have the opportunity to do something in the meantime," countered Barnes.
Former councillor and mayoralty challenger Corey Frizzell was at the meeting as a resident.
"For this council to do nothing is abdicating your responsibility and your authority," he blasted the council.
His comments were followed up by resident Allan Manley, who stood to say that Cornwall has not issued a formal challenge to the province to take back pesticide regulation, nor has it brought in regulations.
Frizzell demanded an immediate anti-pesticide motion at the meeting.
"This group and the rest of the residents of Cornwall would like to see where you folks all stand on this issue," he said.
"Just throwing the ball to the province is not helping me," said resident Gabriela Sanchez. "It's time. This is too old to keep discussing. It's time to take action."
Cornwall Councillor Elaine Barnes broke down in tears while discussing cosmetic pesticides at Wednesday's council meeting.
She was the first councillor to speak after citizens presented a petition pushing Cornwall to put a ban on cosmetic pesticides.
Barnes said a family member has a fatal lung disease and the very day of the council meeting she had been receiving training on how to be a support for people with that disease.
"I know the causes, I know the impacts," she said. "It's very clear how I stand on it."
What is not clear to the group of seven residents at the council meeting is why Cornwall does not yet have a bylaw against cosmetic pesticides.
"It's been over a year now that we have been talking to them," said Christine Gordon-Manley, the resident who presented the petition.
It has 155 names, of which 115 are residents and the others "have a vested interest in our town," said Gordon-Manley.
"I think they are hoping it will go away," she said after the meeting.
Barnes said she was thinking of presenting a resolution to Cornwall council that very night, to adopt the exact same pesticide bylaw as Stratford, but was told she would not get support for that just yet.
She asked council to meet as a whole before the next monthly council meeting, look over Stratford's pesticide bylaw, then bring a similar one to the November meeting.
Mayor Minerva McCourt said the issue needs patience.
"It has been on the minds of all the councillors," said McCourt. "In the very near future there will most likely be a resolution come forward."
Discussion by council after Gordon-Manley presented the petition gave a hint at one stumbling block.
Coun. Peter Meggs kept up a theme that has been bothering him for years, that the province should bear the brunt of formulating and enforcing a more effective pesticide ban, not municipalities.
RELATED: Province must take lead on banning cosmetic pesticides, Cornwall councillor says
"I hate cosmetic pesticides as much as the next person," said Meggs. "I just think that the people who should be doing this job are not doing this job."
"We have the opportunity to do something in the meantime," countered Barnes.
Former councillor and mayoralty challenger Corey Frizzell was at the meeting as a resident.
"For this council to do nothing is abdicating your responsibility and your authority," he blasted the council.
His comments were followed up by resident Allan Manley, who stood to say that Cornwall has not issued a formal challenge to the province to take back pesticide regulation, nor has it brought in regulations.
Frizzell demanded an immediate anti-pesticide motion at the meeting.
"This group and the rest of the residents of Cornwall would like to see where you folks all stand on this issue," he said.
"Just throwing the ball to the province is not helping me," said resident Gabriela Sanchez. "It's time. This is too old to keep discussing. It's time to take action."
