Children's health will be better protected thanks to the recent announcement that the McGuinty government is introducing legislation to ban the sale and cosmetic use of pesticides.

The Premier is to be congratulated for heeding the call of health and environmental organizations. Pesticides are poisonous and governments have a duty to protect citizens, especially children.

The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario is among a group of organizations that has been calling on the government to set a new provincial standard banning the display, sale and use of cosmetic pesticides.

The association is pleased that the premier announced, in no uncertain terms, that municipalities can go beyond the provincial law and enact more stringent provisions in their by-laws governing the use of pesticides.

Although numerous details are yet to be determined before the law takes effect in 2009, if Ontario develops strong regulations, the province would be among the most progressive jurisdictions in North America.

We would have preferred an inclusion list, which would list non-toxic products that can be used rather than a list of banned substances and ingredients. Until industry is convinced these products are dangerous and worthy of an outright ban, companies may simply continue to develop new ones.

Wendy Fucile, president

RNAO