Lawn Care Industry Files Additional Charges Against the McGuinty Government

MONTREAL , Jan. 19 /CNW Telbec/ - Additional charges were filed today by Jeffrey Lowes , Director of Government Relations for M-REP Communications against the McGuinty Government.

Additional proceedings Under Section 504 of the Criminal Code were filed - against the Minister of the Environment, John Gerretsen and Senior Staff of the MOE - before a Justice of the Peace at the Kingston Provincial Court.

Mr. Lowes filed the additional charges upon a further review of the actions of the Province of Ontario in respect to the 2008 Cosmetic Pesticide Ban Act and Ontario Regulations 63/09. These actions alleged to have resulted in offences contrary to the Federal Competition Act (R.S., 1985, c.C-34) section 45 subsection 1(d) and section 380 subsections 2 of the Criminal Code (R.S., 1985, c. C-46).The alleged charges are against: "John Gerretsen, Dale Henry , Geoff Cutten, Wanda Michalowicz, Lorna Poff , and Violet vanWassenaer.

February 17th has been set for a hearing to set a date for Pre-Enquete hearing on all three charges.

M-REP Communications has been working with the industry across Canada and is headed to BC and Alberta and the end of the month to review a course of action for their industry.

Mr. Lowes expects to file additional charges against activists and municipal councilors in Ontario before heading out West at the end of the month.

Mr. Lowes is also currently reviewing the actions of MOE's enforcement branch as it has come to his attention that they may be applying unwarranted pressure on members of the industry as a direct response to the filing of the first charge.

M-REP Communications is a consulting services firm that provides support through a network of companies in North America and the EU on environmental policy and communications.

For further information: Jeffrey Lowes, M-REP Communications Director of Government & Industrial Relations, direct [phone], fax [phone], [email protected]