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EXPOSED I CBC News ( Feds revamp stance on idling after meeting with drive -thm groom.. Page 3 of 7 2 3 <br />previous version advocated turning engines off after 10 seconds. <br />Does not refer to 5,000 premature deaths annually in Canada linked to air <br />pollution, as the previous version did, and no longer includes posters bearing <br />images such as a girl choking and slogans such as "Idling is killing our <br />environment." <br />The website says its purpose is to help communities and environmental groups <br />stop engine idling. <br />Carol Buckley, director general of the office of energy efficiency, confirmed <br />that the restaurant association met with Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn <br />on Feb. 7. <br />According to Lunn's spokeswoman, Louise Girouard, no one from the office <br />of energy efficiency attended the meeting. Girouard confirmed that an e-mail <br />was sent from Lunn's office on Feb. 8 asking the site to be taken down. <br />Buckley said the site was temporarily removed because the office didn't want <br />to leave any misleading information online while it was being revised. <br />"We wanted to mare sure that the website reflected all of the latest data and <br />information that was available about this topic," she said, adding that in the <br />end the changes were "not really significant." <br />The change to the recommended amount of idling time was made because of <br />access to new research taking into account the wear and tear on a car's battery <br />and starter caused by shutting off and restarting the engine, she said. <br />Previously, the site said such wear and tear was minimal. <br />The new site now also refers readers to Health Canada instead of detailing the <br />health impacts of idling because Natural Resources felt that wasn't really their <br />jurisdiction and they -wanted to focus on the effects on climate change, <br />Buckley added. <br />"I think the emphasis in the earlier text was a little strong. Today's vehicles <br />are more efficient when it comes to smog emissions," she said. <br />Site `lacks balance': restaurant group <br />Joyce Reynolds, executive vice- president for government affairs for the <br />Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, said the group <br />corresponded with a number of government officials at various levels about <br />the website, which was used by many municipalities to develop their own <br />anti- idling bylaws. , <br />`What I would like to see is that Natural Resources Canada put the same <br />amount of emphasis on these other driving behaviours that they do on <br />idling.' --- Joyce Reynolds, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association <br />"Our concern is that municipal decision - making must be based on facts and <br />httpJ/ dnvethm1ies .wordpress.com/exposed -ebc- news -feds- revamp - stance -on- idling- after -... 2/13/2009 <br />