Last week the Government of Canada introduced legislation to ensure all gasoline will contain a minimum of 5 percent ethanol by 2010.

Then the Government also announced that they would extend permission for auto racing ventures to continue using leaded gasoline until 2010. Canadian consumers have been banned from using leaded gas for passenger vehicles since 1990.

Leaded gas is used by stock cars and drag racers. The Indy, Formula One and NASCAR racing circuits, including Canadian NASCAR, no longer allow leaded fuel.

Critics find both government announcements unsatisfactory.

The legislation ensuring ethanol addition to gasoline will likely pass but concerns are being expressed that the adding and processing of ethanol should be a localized.

The worry is that transporting ethanol or the grain to make it will negate the greenhouse gas savings. Using local products will not only help local producers but would enhance the value of the greenhouse gas savings.

A recent study shows that ethanol produced with Canadian corn could lead to a net reduction of 21 percent in greenhouse gases as opposed to the use of gasoline.

If ethanol or corn is imported from the United States, they could result in a net increase in emissions of greenhouse gases blamed for climate change. The cost of transportation is the issue.

The Canadian Cabinet extension permitting leaded fuel racing was made despite of objections from two of its own major agencies, Environment Canada and Health Canada.

Health Canada said in a statement that studies have shown that harmful levels of lead exposure could be dangerous at levels lower than were considered safe in the past. Particularly at risk are children, toddlers and pregnant women.

Racing events are generally promoted as family outings. The Castrol Raceway in Edmonton offers free admission for children 12 and under. Many other tracks offer similar promotions. It is estimated that as much as 25 million dollars in revenue could be lost if leaded gas were banned.

“What about the millions and millions of dollars it’s costing us because of people’s exposure to lead,” an opposition MP told Canadian Press. “It’s the most irresponsible action on the part of the government you can imagine.”

“If they (Government) started putting pressure on the industry 14 or 15 years ago, they would have an alternative in place now,” said the MP.

Some Government members who have racing ventures in their ridings had asked for intervention from the Cabinet.

One MP admitted that he was aware of the dangers of exposure to lead.

“That being said, when all cars use lead there’s a real huge health concern, because there is more lead in the air, but when you are talking about a very, limited use by some cars at some of the drag strips, I’m not certain we’re talking about a prolonged exposure,” said the MP.