The Tyee – Seeds of Discontent

Seeds of Discontent

Podcast: 'Deconstructing Dinner' takes on Monsanto.

By Jon Steinman, 12 Apr 2008, TheTyee.ca

Deconstructing Dinner

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On March 20, 2008, Deconstructing Dinner shared the history and outcomes of the most recent battle between farmer Percy Schmeiser and global seed giant Monsanto. Raised during that broadcast was the very basis for the battle: a product release form issued by Monsanto to farmers who wish to have unwanted genetically-engineered plants removed from their fields by the company. Schmeiser took exception to this form, and on this broadcast we probe further into the controversies and possible hidden agendas behind the use of this form for such purposes. Host Jon Steinman engaged in a heated conversation with Monsanto's public affairs director, Trish Jordan, and he shares a number of shocking discrepancies between statements she made on March 19 and March 20, 2008. Steinman also spoke with Schmeiser's lawyer, Terry Zakreski, who confirmed that the release form in question is indeed worth questioning!

While GE crops remain a heated concern on the prairies, the debate over their presence in Canada's food supply took an important step in Ottawa on April 3, 2008. Canadians have long been demanding that foods containing genetically engineered ingredients be labelled. Since 1993, more than six bills have been introduced by members of parliament, with the most recent being Bill C-517. First introduced into the House of Commons in February 2008 by the Bloc Québécois's Gilles A. Perron, the bill is calling for the mandatory labelling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients. On April 3, 2008, C-517 was debated in the House by members of all parties. Deconstructing Dinner recorded the debate and followed up with Conservative MP Bruce Stanton, who opposes the bill.

Voices/guests

Gilles A. Perron, MP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, Bloc Québécois (Saint-Eustache, Que.) -- Gilles A. was first elected as member of parliament in 1997 and was re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2006. He currently serves as the critic on veterans affairs.

Bruce Stanton, MP Simcoe North, Conservative Party of Canada (Orillia, Ont.) -- Bruce was first elected to the House Of Commons in January 2006.

Robert Thibault, MP West Nova, Liberal Party of Canada (Yarmouth, N.S.) -- Robert Thibault was first elected to the House of Commons as the member of parliament for West Nova in November 2000 and was re-elected in 2004 and again in 2006. In July 2004, he was appointed parliamentary secretary to the minister of health. He currently serves as the health critic.

Nathan Cullen, MP Skeena-Bulkley Valley, New Democratic Party of Canada (Smithers, B.C.) -- Nathan Cullen was elected to his first term as member of parliament for Skeena-Bulkley Valley at the age of 31, on June 28, 2004. He was soon named the New Democratic Party's national critic for three key portfolios: environment, national parks and youth.

Marcel Lussier, MP Brossard-La Prairie, Bloc Québécois (Brossard, Que.) -- Lussier ran for office as a member of the Bloc Québécois in the 2004 election, but was defeated by Jacques Saada. In 2006, he ran again, defeating Saada by approximately 2 per cent of the vote. Lussier has been appointed as the environment critic by Bloc's leader, Gilles Duceppe.

Related Tyee stories:

Water, the Blood of the Earth
Podcast: 'Deconstructing Dinner' presents Maude Barlow. Plus: Monsanto pays up.

Yukon's Big 'No' to GE Crops
Final part of podcast 'Colonizing the Canadian Farmer.'

Can We Create GE-Free Zones?
Part two of podcast 'Colonizing the Canadian farmer.'

Jon Steinman is producer and host of Kootenay Co-op Radio's program Deconstructing Dinner. A new podcast with notes is posted here every Friday afternoon. All Deconstructing Dinner podcasts can be found here.

5

Fiat lux

3 years ago

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The only purpose of GM seeds

The only purpose of GM seeds is profits.

I have never seen a single independent research, or report that would have given them any justification. They aren't improving production, aren't cutting chemical use and nobody knows, or can even comprehend their long range effects on the world's ecology and health effects on humanity.

Any independent research into their health effects is blocked by "intellectual property" laws.

Scientists, who have dared to question their use have been vilified, fired and their careers destroyed without any evidence against them. Look up the story on Dr.Arpad Pusztay and his experiments with GM on his rats.

When the former US proconsul, by the name of Bremer, or Bremner, left Iraq, one of the laws he tried to force on the country was the outlawing the use of all seeds, other than GM. Why? To enslave farmers, to Monsanto and the rest of the gang.

As far this private member bill is concerned, it has no hope in hell. The Harper gang will never let it pass and even if it is passed, it will never be implemented, not being "business friendly".

Remember the NDP's private member Tobin tax
bill that was passed, probably 10 years ago?

Enthusiastically endorsed by all, including Paul Martin, who was still finance minister at the time, then put into the junk file box and forgotten, not to offend the "investors".

There are no safeguards on any junk, chemicals and even poisons, like Aspertame and Tetrazine, etc. put into our foods, so how can anybody expect the Reform Party to demand, or even permit the labeling of the creeping menace of GM, which could, ultimately destroy the world's food supplies?

Talking about "wealth creation"!!!!!!

Ed Deak.

werdnagreb

3 years ago

Suggest as offensive

In theory, what is wrong with GE crops?

In theory, a crop that requires less water, is more bug resistant, or provides extra vitamin A in areas where the population is vitamin A deficient sounds pretty good to me.

Of course, the practices of the companies that own the patents on these kinds of crops tend to detrimental to local and organic farming. But, if the patents on genes were removed and proper safety testing were to be done on the crops what's to complain about?

It seems to me that all the complaints about GE crops are misplaced. They should be directed to the industries that are attacking organic and local agriculture, rather than the technology itself.

werdnagreb

3 years ago

Suggest as offensive

ps

ps-

Really enjoy this podcast.

Fiat lux

3 years ago

Suggest as offensive

The claims of the

The claims of the corporations are the same lies they used and are still using for the so called "Green Revolution", destroying and poisoning humanity, causing incredible epidemics that never existed before.

I've been in this racket since 1948 and have experienced and seen the effects, my friends dying, and on my own body, so I speak from long years of experience and not from advertising brochures.

GM is a fraud and that's all there's to it.

But then, our whole economic system is built on fraud, so it is not surprising.

Organic agriculture can not exist on the same planet with GM, because the pollen will infect the plants and the seeds and there's no way to prevent it.

We have absolutely no idea of the long term effects on human bodies.

Ed Deak.

Fiat lux

3 years ago

Suggest as offensive

Vive Le Canada New film

Vive Le Canada

New film documents Monsanto's threat to global food security
Date: Monday, April 14 2008
Topic:

After a relentless three-year investigation carried out in North and South America, Europe and Asia, 'The World According to Monsanto' reveals the chilling hegemonic project of Monsanto, which threatens not only the food safety of the world but also the ecological balance of planet. The latest film from acclaimed documentarian Marie-Monique Robin is a devastating survey of American multinational Monsanto, world leader in biotechnology and one of the most controversial companies of the industrial age. 90% of the genetically modified organisms (GMO) cultivated today on planet, such as soya, colza, corn, cotton..., all belong to Monsanto and, in the long term, it is the whole food chain which Monsanto is bringing under its control.

Announcement from Arte TV, France

There is some indication that this film may have been released under a Creative Commons license. Many web sites are claiming to make this video freely available.

The film may also be available via your favorite Free-and-Open-Source bit-torrent clients, such as Azureus

Seeds of Discontent

Listen to this:

5

Fiat lux

The only purpose of GM seeds

werdnagreb

In theory, what is wrong with GE crops?

werdnagreb

ps

Fiat lux

The claims of the

Fiat lux

Vive Le Canada New film

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