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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Plastic bags
THE city’s former chief administrative officer, Glen Laubenstein, was asked four years ago to prepare a report on a strategy for eliminating the use of plastic bags in the city. He was not required to report back on his findings, but if such a report was ever completed, it appears to have been filed and long since forgotten.
A left-wing policy group said during the 2010 civic election plastic bags should be taxed to discourage their use, but the idea never gained any traction, either. There have been other sporadic attempts over the years to deal with the issue, but they haven’t amounted to much.
As Toronto Mayor Rob Ford discovered last week, however, it’s an issue that should not be left to spontaneous decision-making. Mayor Ford succeeded in passing a sudden motion to eliminate the city’s five-cent-a-bag fee, only to get stuck with an equally impulsive motion to ban the bags completely, which passed.
There was no report, no consultations, no nothing, meaning if the motion is not reversed, it will be illegal for retailers to supply plastic bags, including those advertised as "compostable, biodegradable, photodegradable or similar." Mayor Ford blames citizens for not getting involved, but it’s impossible for the public to engage in issues that pop up without warning.
In Winnipeg, various reports and committee motions have acknowledged plastic bags are a problem because they don’t easily degrade and they cause litter problems.
If the city is serious about a solution, it needs to consult with retailers, consumers and environmentalists on possible solutions. A bag tax or fee is still the preferred response since it would discourage the use of the bags while encouraging the development of environmentally friendly products.
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