OTTAWA - Members of Parliament are debating a private-member's bill this week that its proponents say would fill a critical gap in regulations governing genetically engineered seeds.
The bill presented by NDP agriculture critic Alex Atamanenko, the MP representing B.C.'s Southern Interior, would require an analysis of potential harm to export markets before sales of any new genetically engineered seeds are allowed.
Canadian approvals of genetically engineered seeds are currently based on environmental and health assessments, but Atamanenko says they ignore their potential effects on export markets.
Canada's flax industry has been shut out of its largest export market after traces of Triffid, a genetically modified form of the crop ordered destroyed 10 years ago, was found in shipments.
The European Union buys 70 per cent of Canadian flax and has a zero-tolerance policy regarding genetically modified organisms.
Officials say Canada's entire $320-million industry is threatened.
"Farmers have been hit hard enough over the years," Atamanenko said Tuesday. "We have seen what has happened to flax; we have seen the other crisis that is hitting hog producers, cattle producers.
"We don't want to throw another obstacle into the ability of farmers to produce good-quality food and to make a living. It's important to prevent happening to wheat and alfalfa what is happening to flax."
Industry officials have been scrambling to weed out the offending seed since the problem was discovered in September. Only about one in 10,000 flax seeds are affected.
The modified Triffid flax seed was deregistered and ordered destroyed 10 years ago.
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Sask Resident
2 years ago
Emotion
It is hard to fight against trade barriers, especially those based on emotions. The EU bans seal skins because seals are cute and now bans GMOs for flax oils used in industrial processes because a seed might get loose. However, the EU also limits imports of flax oils as well since they want the crushing jobs to stay in Europe.
Maybe we should trade with more reasonable groups like China, Indonesia, Brazil and India instead.
Frank
2 years ago
We need more bans
Whales and dolphins are cute too but that doesn't mean we should support their slaughter.
Sharks aren't but they're being slaughtered as well.
We need a ban on more people until our population is in alignment with the planet's resources.
dorothy
2 years ago
Why is it only about exports??
Far be it from me to denigrate the need to look after our economy. But does nobody understand that engineering of plants is another way of trying to keep a corporate stranglehold on resources? With plants now 'copyrighted' and seeds with built-in terminator technology, there is literally no way for poor people to start a garden other than by stealing from their neighbours! It is shameful conditions and we should do everything we can in order to curb this excessive greed. There should be enough people who cannot be bothered with doing the nitty-gritty and will gladly pay for new stuff in a box every year, so why tolerate that the corps go for every last bit and take it away from those who cannot pay but are willing to do work? It is not as if these people will be buyers - they just don't have the dough. I know there are heritage seeds to be had from organizations, but one first need to have something to trade, and it also costs money to put yourself in a position to connect effectively with these organizations. GMO never has anything to do with 'progress', but everything to do with tightly controlled access. Just make damn sure nobody ever gets anything for free! If we have a religious dogma, that is it.
.Luke.
2 years ago
Frank...
So have you told all of your NDP buddies to stop pro-creatin' in order to dilute the political pool? :D
G West
2 years ago
.Luke.
Another new identity - another attempt to slip back in without apologizing for what you did to Rod Smelser.
Frank
2 years ago
dot Luke
Yes, at the last general meeting at my house I mentioned it to everyone and they all agreed.
Not quite as festive as the party Gordon had where he told everyone to make babies like its 1840 again because God promised him in a drunken slumber that he'll give us 2 more earths as soon as the Dow hits 40,000.
W Laurier
2 years ago
Actually, Frank...
At this very moment I am in China on business. The one child policy seems a great success as there are very few young children out and about. China is booming economically. You would not believe the difference from my last trip here five years ago. Seems that Communism can be very effective.
Why don't you, Frank, propose a similar policy for the NDP party? Since China is better than Canada because it is not democratic and (nominally, anyway) Communist, such a policy could be very progressive for the NDP.
Frank
2 years ago
Wilf
Assuming you're actually in China and no doubt have access to vast archives of little red books and manifestos please explain to me how China is "communist"?
For extra points I'd love to hear why you believe Canada is a democracy since majorities cannot be defeated until their term ends and more than half the population of BC (for example), have given up on the process.
Secondly, you missed my post to dot_Luke, I already brought it up at the last meeting at my place and everyone agreed.
When pray tell will you guys on the Right start promoting policies that aren't based on population growth?
Fiat lux
2 years ago
Mao rewarded people to have
Mao rewarded people to have huge number of children. We have a Chinese lady friend , married to a Canadian friend of ours, who was the youngest of 7 daughters in her family, during the Mao years. That was how and why her parents could get a half decent, hole in the wall, apartment in a concrete tower. At least one of her sisters is now a millionaire under capitalist/communism.
By the way, social democrats, like the NDP is supposed to be to a very small degree, have been declared the "enemies of the people" at one of the prewar Comintern conferences, and under postwar communist rule, have been hunted down jailed and killed by the thousands.
Today's capitalism has far more in common with communism than any form of democracy. This is shown by the happy and desperate flight of Western capitalist enterprises to China, because they're working on the same mental level: The collectivization of the economy in the hands of an empowered ruling class.
Whether the jerks are called cadres, or politbureaus, or boards of directors, makes little difference. Their aim is to control, rule and steal on both sides, regardless what coloured flag they're waving, while calling themselves "democracies".
To hell with them all !!!
Ed Deak. Big Lake.