The petition expresses concerns over the government’s decision to authorize the temporary reinstatement of strychnine as an emergency measure for the control of Richardson’s ground squirrels in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The petition claims that Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (now the Pesticides Regulatory Directorate) previously cancelled the use of strychnine for this purpose citing unacceptable risks to non-target wildlife, domestic animals, and human health. The petition further notes that the agency later banned all uses of strychnine because of unacceptable environmental risks. The petition asserts that strychnine causes secondary poisoning of predators and scavengers; poses risks to species at risk and domestic animals; undermines ecosystem stability; and conflicts with Canada’s biodiversity commitments.
The petition asks the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature how the emergency reinstatement of strychnine can be justified given the previous findings of unacceptable risks and how new stewardship measures will reduce environmental risks to an acceptable level. The petition also asks whether an impact assessment for species at risk related to strychnine use in prairies ecosystems has been conducted; whether the reintroduction of strychnine aligns with federal obligations under the Species at Risk Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and Canada’s international biodiversity commitments; and what steps will be taken to transition to safer, long-term pest management alternatives.