Conservative Agriculture Critic David Anderson is concerned by the way the federal government is handling chemical approval and registration.

Health Canada has proposed a ban on the controversial use of a neonicotinoid pesticide called imidacloprid, which is one of the most widely used agriculture products.

Anderson is part of the House of Commons Agriculture Committee and says after their review and public hearings they felt there was not enough scientific evidence in place to support the Governments decision.

"We believe there were huge gaps in the science on this decision," he said. "It is a terrible precedent to be setting. These environmental decisions really need to be made scientifically, not politically, and this one looks like it is a political decision."

For Anderson, he feels there simply are better ways to go about it.

"Reconsider, take another look at this, lets do some science and talk to producers to see how they can change their land management and see if we can continue the use of these chemicals that have been used for a long time and seem to have been used safely," he said.

He notes the Liberal Chair for the Committee has written a letter to the Health Minister outlining their concerns.

The government’s decision means that the widely used pesticide would be phased out by 2020 in Canada.