Rant - Melissa & Doug toy recall in Canada

So now we can add Melissa & Doug to the list of China recalled toys. Although you wouldn't know that by looking at their website. In August of 2008 Canada issued a recall of the "Geometric Stacker" by Melissa and Doug and in September 2008 Canada issued a recall of the "Stacking Train" by Melissa and Doug. Testing by Health Canada revealed that the surface paint on the toy contains barium in excess of the allowable limit.

Why is barium even present in a toy manufactures facility? What purpose does it have?? When I looked up Barium in Wikipedia I see it is used in glassmaking, rat poisions, used for drilling oil wells, it gives fireworks their green color, but no where could I find why it would be present on a WOODEN TOY FOR TODDLERS. If someone could explain to me, please do so.

So when are parents going to wake up and see that these Chinese manufactures do NOT have our children's best interest at heart. How many tainted toys are going to be enough for everyone to stop buying these products?? Maybe we need to change the word 'tainted' to something more accurate like 'potentially lethal', maybe that will get peoples attention.