Douglas (and Allen), you've been out in the beautiful Mexican sun too long
if you think Canada will take independent action on genetically modified
foods. The federal and provincial governments in Canada are four-square
behind the big chemical/biotech corporations. Just last week every
household in Canada received a full-colour booklet entitled "Food Safety
and You". It is very cleverly written to appear that the government is
going overboard to assure our food safety (and in French and English to
make ot appear more Canadian). It also tells us what to do to assure food
safety in our homes - letting us know that if something goes wrong it is
likely our own fault. Then, almost at the end, there are two pages on the
safety of biotech foods. It is very carefully written to suggest that all
"novel" foods are extensively tested ("These foods go through a rigorous
and thorough review process before they can be introduced into the
marketplace. The way the Government of Canada assesses and regulates these
foods is based on scientific principles that have been developed through
consultations with experts around the world.") No lies, but certainly
misleading statements, it's easy to let people translate "review process"
into "testing".
As for giving Canada high marks in the rBST affair, that was a very timely
acident and an incidence of rare courage. Just as the top bureaucrats at
Health Canada were about to realize a longtime dream of stamping their
approval on the use Monsanto's bovine growth hormone, a group of workers
from their own labs blew the whistle. They were lucky enough to have
Senate hearings going on and they ran for the protective cover. Even
though they are under the protection of the Senators these researchers are
still bound by a gag order forbidding them to discuss their work. And,
believre me Douglas, the rBST issue is far from over here (even though the
dairy farmers are generally against it because in many instances, esp. here
in BC, half of the farm income is from breeding highly regarded registered
dairy cattle and using rBST makes it nearly impossible to carry out a
proper breeding program).
We are being sold out to the US corporate systems as fast as the government
dares to move. Health care, water rights, saltwater fish, you name it,
we're losing it.
Don Maroc
Vancouver Island, Canada
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