Genetically Modified Foods (GM) - Will Vancouverites take a Stand?

Posted by Jark
Filed in Food, Health & Fitness, People
May 27, 2007

Fact #1 At this moment, up to 70% of all processed foods in Canada contain genetically modified ingredients (GMi's), and this number is rising annually. These numbers have fueled a growing public concern both nationally and abroad. As a result 35 countries, containing over half the worlds population, already have laws requiring labeling, especially in Europe at large. But, guess what, NOT CANADA!

Fact #2 In 2001 the Canadian legislature defeated a bill for mandatory labeling and adopted a volunteer labeling system. Similar campaigns have found growing support since this decision. These campaigns have been started because first (1) no product in a Canadian store has ever carried a label, and secondly (2) because some grocery store chains have actually banned products with "GM-Free" Labels. People have cried-out about such positions, saying: "If GE foods were as safe and nutritious as biotechnology companies try to pretend, then why do companies and governments hide them with no labels?" asks Josh Brandon, GE Campaigner with Greenpeace.

Fact #3 Currently, 79% of British Columbians supported the Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients in foods, according to a poll conducted in Vancouver last year. Heather Deal, a Vision Vancouver City Councilor (and spectacularly busy person around the city deserving an applause from all of us!) has responded by presenting a motion to Vancouver City Council on Tuesday May 15th, just last week. If this is passed, the Council will call on the province to invoke labeling, as recommended by the BC Provincial Health Officer in 2006, this is good news.

This motion runs parallel to a joint campaign by GE Free BC a Vancouver based organization, and Greenpeace. These organizations began a campaign in March of this year, to lobby the province for mandatory labeling - evidently they've seen some success.

What to do? But success can often take two steps backwards, unless people really get involved. The Motion went to council this month, so don't let it go unheard.

There are also three ways to let the Council know your opinion:

1) Speak to council
Speaking will take place on Thursday probably at the 2pm meeting but possibly in the morning. To request to speak email cc@vancouver.ca Just say you want to speak to Heather Deal's motion on GMO labeling.

2) Write the Councilors
To lobby via email email the entire council at: mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

3) Write a letter to the editor
To write the Vancouver Sun:
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html

to write the Province
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html

To write the Westender:
editor@westender.com

To write the Vancouver Courier:
mmaloney@vancourier.com

PHOTO CREDIT: Naturopathy-uk.com

Reader Reviews and Comments

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I really don't have the time in my day to waste on this. Eat up, grow up, one day you'll die anyways.

Who cares?

Posted by: Marc at May 27, 2007 11:42 AM | Quote Comment

If you're so apathetic, Marc, why bother comment here?

It's not just about you. It's not just about me. You've heard about the bees dying off, right? Well, organic (NON-GMO) beekeepers haven't had "Colony Collapse Disorder." Life is very dull without bees pollinating all our crops.

Whole ecosystems depend on equilibrium. Genetic modification/engineering puts that off balance. Farmers working with GMO crops have gotten very sick and died from this stuff. Sure they would have died eventually, but now they're not there to provide for their families and communities. They're not even there to provide for the world since that's, unfortunately, what they're stuck doing, instead of feeding their people.

I don't have time in my day to waste on apathetic people who don't care about having a good life. I care, so I'm helping everyone else who cares, too.

Posted by: erika

at May 27, 2007 12:57 PM | Quote Comment

I find it amusing that people are wondering why the IMPORTED bees in north america are dying off, perhaps it's because they don't have the natural infrastructure to sustain bee production not just in our climate but relative to a plethora of other reasons. 2 cents.

Posted by: Jark at May 27, 2007 4:10 PM | Quote Comment

Yeah haha, no kidding. I should think that at least they're not an invasive species, right? or are they the reason native populations are apparently dwindling.

A friend send me to an older article (April) suggesting/trying to prove that it's cell phones causing the problem, that the signals or some such disrupt bees' internal navigation so they get lost. My question is, same with the imported bees theory (not that I support importing animals like that), why NOW? It can't be that alone.

Posted by: erika

at May 27, 2007 7:41 PM | Quote Comment

Agreed -- i thin they are interesting speculations on a hypothesis but let's face it, nothing exists in a vacuume and i think these cell-phone theories are escapist: namely, obviously people won't throw away their cell phones so we are damning the bees by arguing such moot points, IMHO. Jark.

Posted by: Jark at May 27, 2007 11:43 PM | Quote Comment

The motion that Heather Deal brought forward was rejected by the NPA. They said it wasn't council business because it was a provincial jurisdiction, and said Vision should stop wasting council time.

Then NPA councillor Kim Capri brought forward a motion calling the province to regulate the sale of exotic animals. This was deemed worthy of city council time.

no joke.

Posted by: Vancouver Kid

at May 28, 2007 12:06 AM | Quote Comment

I heard something about that... it's insanity, as per usual.

Posted by: Jark at May 28, 2007 1:08 AM | Quote Comment

I think you're all ignoring the obvious solution: genetically modified bees.

Posted by: Scott PM at May 28, 2007 9:21 AM | Quote Comment

It�s nice to see an article about this. I worked very hard to get this issue into council just to have the NPA brush it off. It is unfortunate but apparently has become common place with many of the motions vision Vancouver brings up.

Anyone interested in the outcome can find the video of council in action here:
http://cityofvan-as1.insinc.com/ibc/mp/md/open/c/317/1198/200705151345wv150enr1347,018

I wish to extend an invitation to anyone interested in working on the joint campaign (between Greenpeace and GE free BC) to bring mandatory Labeling of Genetically modified ingredients in foods.

Information on the Campaign:
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/ge/latest-developments/mandatory-labelling-of-ge-food

Feel free to contact me if your interested

Jeff Harrison
GE Free BC
Jeffcharrison (at) hotmail com

Posted by: jeff h at May 28, 2007 2:46 PM | Quote Comment

Jeff

Thanks for your feedback on my article. I would definitely like to be kept appraised on what's happening in the world of GMO's, not only for personal interest in a very controversial and dense subject, but also for the purposes of informing a seemingly-oblivious public about this issue.

I will also try to do my best to extend an invitation to anyone interested in working on the joint campaign. If you have other material you feel needs to be reported upon immediately, please don't hesitate to forward fragments to me for said purposes.

Stay in touch.

Jark

Posted by: Jark at May 28, 2007 5:03 PM | Quote Comment