Glyphosate spray meeting leaves crowd agitated and annoyed

A public meeting in Petitcodiacto addressthe controversial spraying of the herbicide glyphosate may have been the victim of its ownsuccess.

Scientists, regulators and J.D. Irving personnel were on hand to answer questions on the forestry practice of using glyphosate,deemed a "probablecarcinogenic"by the World Health Organization, toregulateforest growth.

But the meeting, organized by JDI, became deafening and difficult to navigate when 150 people were in the room, seeking information in an open-house format.

Dozens of people complainedthat in their quest for answers to particular questions, they were directed elsewhere in the room, only to have their questions redirectedonceagain.

"It is a bit of a divide and conquer method," saidCaroline Lubbe-D'arcy, an organizer of the protest group Stop Spraying New Brunswick.

"I think it's been pretty much shown that this is not really the way to have an information session. It really should be asit-downQ&A, where people can heareverybody'squestion and hear everybody'sanswer."

PetitcodiacMayorJerry Gogan told CBC News even he was having trouble getting answers. About an hour into the session, he apologized to the crowd for the noise.

"Nobodyseems to be getting their answers," Gogansaid, suggesting a full question and answer session would be better.

Scientists resist Q&A

Membersof the crowd shouted out requests to have the format changed mid-meeting, but the idea was shot down.

"We've discussed it with some of the peoplehere, and those who brought people here to answer some of your questions," he said.

"Someof them aren't comfortable with presenting in a question-answer session because they are prepared for this type of format. They are not prepared for a question and answer format."

That response elicited boos and jeers from the crowd, which included people whose minds were made up about forest spraying.

At one point during the open house,a woman helped herself to an unattended microphone and said to the crowed: "I have not run into anybody for a couple of years in this province that is for spraying NewBrunswick, andIjust wonder how many people it is going to take for this province to stop doing what we the people do not want on our land."

Her comments were met with raucous applause while organizers looked on.

Despite the spray opponents at the meeting, JDI and government officialssaid they were making progress at the meeting.

"There are good conversations, there is gooddialogue, people are getting theinformationthey need," saidJason Killam, chief forester with JDI.

JDI pleased with exchanges

"Theformat is an open discussion. People can come around and talk to the scientists and ask the questions that they have to ask. We've allowed lots of time."

The three-houropen-houseformathad flaws, but it allowed for the most specific questions for theexperts, Killam said as he pointed toa human toxicologist, an aquatic toxicologist and forest managers.

"We've heard from a lot of people that wouldn'tnecessarilyspeak up if it was a group format," said Killam.

"They have specific concerns about areas, andspecificquestions that they told us they wouldn't be comfortable in the other format, soit'shard to reach a format that pleases everybody."

But Killam said that ifanother meeting wereheld, in a different format, JDI would be open to participating.

"We're constantlydialoguingwith ourneighbours, stakeholders and with our communities all through and leading up to our operations," he said. "And we'll continue to, through the fall, through the winter. It's acontinuousprocess."

Those opposed to glyphosatespraying by JDI and NB Powerpoint toa series of recent bans andclassificationson the material.

In addition tothe"probable carcinogenic"classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a branch of theWHO, thestate of Californiarecently placed glyphosate on its list of caner-causing chemicals.

Several countries, including Colombia, France and the Netherlands, have banned the use and sale ofglyphosate-based products.

Manitoba banned several glyphosatepesticides three years ago. Quebecbannedherbicideuse on Crown land in 2001 and the Nova Scotia government has haltedpublicly fundedherbicide use.

"But there's not really anyscientificbasis for those bans," saidDoug Pitt, a retired research scientist who workedwith theCanadianForest Service.

"Take Quebec, for example. They've chosen not to use herbicides on their public lands and that's a political decision and there's no science supporting that decision.

"And our regulators look at risk, the real-life use of a productand lookat risk. And glyphosate is used in more than 160 different countries on over ahundred differentfood crops."