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Canada’s National Weekly » Business
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Current paid circulation about 96,900 copies

April 6, 1963

Twenly-five Cents an issue, Eight

Dollars a year

“By BASIL JACKSON
and CLIVE RAXTER
Canada's chemical industry i is
‘ceply orried ~- in -fact,
-tunned"—by the case of the
aisoned bulls.

A recent judgment of the Su-
oreme Court of Alberta ruled
hat a dose of a widely used
weslicide has poisaned 47 pure-

ued shorthorn bulls, thas ¢
slicing theic value,

Found liable for $16,511 dam-
ages were (a) the pesticide
supplier, (b) the Alberta coun-
ly which used it, and (2) the
head of the county's agzicul-
tural service board.

The judgment opens a Pan-
jora’s box of troubles for the
chemical industry and the $36-
nillion-per-year pesticide sec-
tion of it:

© A weller of damage suits
‘could come fron other farmers
(and possibly —houscholders)

‘aiming damage from petent
“sy pest-control chemicals.

ol certainly is bad public

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celations for the pesticide in-
dustry, already embroiled in
controversy aboul ill effects of
chemicals on food and humans,
a controversy touched off by
Rachel Carson's book Silent
Spring (sce quotation). el \

© It possibly may mean more
federal control over the entire
pesticide industry.
Key to the trouble is misuse
of the pesticide spd (tice v

pale
comply in every detail with the
instructions given. a

if the precedent established
in the Alberta judgment with-
slands appeal, it couh! have
widespread influence. It could
affect similar eases in o any coun-
try. of the Commonwealth
where British justice is ad:vin-
istered.

It is not certain if the case
will be appealed, but a Spokes~
man for one firm said such a
appeal will be supported 10075
by the pesticide industry. ,

Vast investments are at stake
in the chemical industry. One
estimate is that $2 miltien-iaust
be spent on research and devel-

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opment before a new pesticide
can be put on the market.

/ The Alberta case was a suit
by rancher Mirza Pack for re-
duction in value of 47 bulls
which had" Been sprayed with

malathion to control lic

-— Ibulis’ vahie had

been redteccd

lo heid slatus, ah

Found lable ‘for damages by
Mr, “Justice J. V. HH. Milvain
were:

1, Oliver Chemical Ce., sup-
pliers of the spray.

2, Warner County, which
bought the chemical for use by

its agricultural service board.
3. Dwayno Michelson, super-
visor of the service board.
County, provincial and. fed-
eral officials now will be re-
luctant to recommend the use
of pesticides, since a county of-
ficial was one of those found
Hate.
“We were stunned and taken
completely by surprise by the
judgment,” Dr. G. 5, Cooper

robs, Low
nal,

says. He is manager, technical
services department, Cyanamid
of Canada, producer of mala-
thion.

“This is a very serious busi-
ness because malathion is one
of the safer materials,” Lorne
Ifavard, general Manager,
reer Cross division, Sheewin-

Villiams Co. of Canada, Mont-
real says,

“This decision could have far-.
reaching effects not only on the
pesticides industty but on other.
industries, too.

SU

"What if someone wees are
ing a plastic jacket and els sicd
the material caused au:
tion on his skin? How
doctor giving a Preserint en to
@ pationt and the patiat auf
fered? It opens up tre+
implications

On the question of a
ment emplovce bein:
fiable, Havard. says
have further ran
“Could it lend to the advise: y
branches of government serv-
ices shutting down?” he won-
ders,

Type
Agricultural dusts and spra
livestock treatment product
Herbicides

Rodenticides

eee eons

* includes $379,659 worth
Source: Dominion Bureau o

High Soles at
Soles of pesticides in 12

Houschold and industrial insecticides .,

Total {including unspecified) ....

S$

v .

ene
months to cept, 30/62:

$
13,117,140
3,382,014
11,332,397
6,727,549
461,739
35,807,533

ys°

S sereees

wees

of malathion
£ Statistics,

(Continued