An individual representing Ontario lawn-care companies is trying to have Criminal Code charges levied against doctors, public health officials and environmentalists who publicly lobbied the province to institute a ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides around homes.

Among the 23 named are prominent employees or volunteers at the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario College of Family Physicians, and Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.

The request for charges was made this week in Kingston, where a justice of the peace has set a mid-February date to hear allegations that the individuals broke the law in their arguments against pesticides, and to decide whether charges are warranted.

In a separate action earlier this month, the same individual also asked for charges against Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen and five senior officials involved in creating the pesticide ban, which came into force last spring on Earth Day.

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Source: Globe and Mail