February 192)

DI

Provincial Government Denied

Information on I8T Chemicals

A letter recently received bysEnvironment Minister Ted Bowerman from federal
sa eK arty dra in
Health and Welfare Minister Monique Begin may make it impossible to obtain

nr
,

he IBT testing affair,

specific information on chemicals implicated int

In 1977 it was revealed that the Canadian registration of over 100 chemicals

was based on faulty or fraudulent data of testing done by Industria} Biotest

Leboratories (IBT) of Tilinois. About 30 of the chemicals involved in the

testing are important to Saskatchewan agriculture,

Kr. Bowerman has been asking for information related to the flawed testing for

nearly a year. These requests were made in Tetters and telexes on five different

Occasions in the last year.

Mme. Begin's letter quoted a recent ruling by the federal justice department

as the reason she could not release the information Mr. Bowerman requested.

(The ruling stated that information submitted fo the Crown under the Pest Control

Products Act (Canada) and its regulations ; S$ confidential and subject. to the

Common Law protecting trade secrets.

In his xr Mr. Bowerman said the refusal of the federal government to release

érnment's ability to Safeguard the ;

the information may have an impact on his goy

Environment and public health and safety. He advised Mime, Begin that the provincial

government would pursue alternate means of obtaining the information.