Community by community, citizens are banding together to create a web of zones across Canada that are free of genetically engineered plants, animals, crops and trees.
1.National food fight launched to stop genetically engineered crops
2.Canada's largest protestant denomination calls for moratorium on new GM foods
3."The Future of Food - is GE-free!"
EXCERPTS: "Over four years ago, the Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel's report called for a much more rigorous and independent regulatory framework for GM foods. Not only have few of the report's key recommendations ever been implemented, but now... the approval of GM and other novel foods could even be weakened." (ITEM 2)
"This (GE-FREE CANADA) movement is about long-term economic sustainability, local control over food production, a healthy environment and democracy as opposed to food profiteering and the destruction of our genetic biodiversity through corporate control of seeds and agriculture." (ITEM 1)
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1.National food fight launched to stop genetically engineered crops
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2005/02/c6866.html
VANCOUVER, June 2 /CNW Telbec/ - Canadians are joining regions, communities and countries around the world in declaring their communities GE-Free Zones.
Launched today, the GE-Free Canada campaign is a nation-wide, grass-roots effort by farmers, environmentalists, and ordinary Canadians concerned with issues of food safety and food sovereignty.
Community by community, citizens are banding together to create a web of zones across Canada that are free of genetically engineered (GE) plants,
animals, crops and trees. The campaign's goal is to have 50 communities in Canada declare themselves GE-Free in the next two years.
Saskatchewan farmer and world-renowned food sovereignty activist Percy Schmeiser will kick off the campaign at a public event in Vancouver tonight.
"For years I have fought for farmers' rights to decide what we grow and how we grow it. GE-Free Zones extend that principle to the entire community," says Schmeiser. "This movement is about long-term economic sustainability, local control over food production, a healthy environment and democracy as opposed to food profiteering and the destruction of our genetic biodiversity through corporate control of seeds and agriculture."
The GE-Free movement already has incredible momentum in Canada. Salt Spring Island, BC and Powell River, BC have passed municipal resolutions
declaring themselves GE-Free Crop Areas. Prince Edward Island is currently holding legislative committee hearings to decide whether to make the province GE-Free. Numerous communities across the prairies have passed municipal resolutions banning GE wheat.
"Currently, biotech giants such as Monsanto Canada aren't held accountable when their GE seeds contaminate a farmer's fields. Farmers, on the
other hand, are forced to pay up to the corporation or lose their farms," says Tara Scurr of the Council of Canadians. "With the attempted introduction of
untested GE crops, terminator and predator seeds, keeping food safe and in the control of local communities is a battle we cannot afford to lose."
Communities in Europe, Asia, and the United States have banded together to fight GE products at local and national levels. Over 100 regions of Europe and 3400 local authorities have told biotech companies that their genetically engineered crops are not welcome.
"As community activists working to promote a democratic food system, our chapter feels that this is a real opportunity to engage our community around ethical consuming and to support sustainable local farming practices. It's a question of 'eat local, think global.' Right now food is controlled by large corporations with a global reach and an absence of ethics, not by local farmers and consumers. And that's scary." says Tony Beck of the Council of Canadians Vancouver North Shore Chapter.
Canadians want a moratorium on the planting and harvesting of genetically engineered crops, plants, trees, and animals until the public is satisfied that they do not threaten human health or Canada's genetic biodiversity.
The GE-Free Canada campaign will be launched tonight at a public forum in Vancouver at the Maritime Labour Centre. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and admission is free.
For further information: Laura Sewell, Media Officer, (613) 233-2773, cell: (613) 795-8685, [email protected]; Tara Scurr, BC Regional Organizer, (604) 688-8846, cell: (604) 340-2455, [email protected]
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2.United Church calls for moratorium on new genetically modified foods
TORONTO, June 1 /CNW/ - "Our concern with genetically modified foods is not what we know about their safety, but rather what we don't know," says Mark Hathaway, The United Church of Canada's program officer for Biotechnology and Food Security.
Hathaway explains that this uncertainty has led the United Church to call on the Canadian government to declare an immediate moratorium on the approval of new genetically modified (GM) food varieties until a more rigorous and independent system of approving, regulating, monitoring, and labelling GM foods has been fully implemented.
"We believe that our current regulatory system lacks the necessary transparency, independence and rigour to truly ensure food safety and ecological sustainability," says Hathaway. "We need an independent government agency working at arm's length to test and monitor all GM foods. This agency should publish all test results and make them available for scientific peer review."
In a letter sent this week to the Prime Minister, the United Church outlines the genetically modified food policy recently approved by its General Council Executive. The policy's recommendations are the result of nearly four years of work involving study and consultation with United Church congregations, theologians, ethicists, agronomists, and other scientists.
The recommendations cover a broad range of issues, including the mandatory labelling of genetically modified foods; guaranteeing the right of farmers to save, reuse, and exchange seeds; and guaranteeing that Canada's trade and food aid policies do not promote - directly or indirectly - the adoption of GM foods in countries that have not explicitly chosen to do so.
Hathaway explains that the United Church also believes that the Government of Canada should commission thorough, independent, peer-reviewed research into some of the key unanswered safety and ecological concerns around GM foods.
As well, he says, some aspects of GM food technology should simply be prohibited because they pose significant health and ecological risks. One example of this would be a ban on using GM food crops to produce chemical and pharmaceutical products, such as drugs and hormones, that could negatively affect human or animal health if consumed unintentionally.
The moratorium on new GM food approvals is an important first step in creating a regulatory system that takes precaution seriously, says Hathaway.
He adds, "Over four years ago, the Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel's report called for a much more rigorous and independent regulatory framework for GM foods. Not only have few of the report's key recommendations ever been implemented, but now, with recent legislative initiatives like Bill C-27, regulations applying to the approval of GM and other novel foods could even be weakened."
The United Church of Canada believes the moratorium should remain in place until a new independent agency and regulatory regime for GM foods has been implemented, and all GM food varieties that are currently approved for consumption have been retested.
For further information: please contact: Mary-Frances Denis, Communications Officer, The United Church of Canada, (416) 231-7680 ext. 2016 (business), (416) 885-7478 (cell), (416) 766-0057 (residence)
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3."The Future of Food - is GE-free!" Says SPUD
http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/June2005/01/c6580.html
VANCOUVER, June 1 /CNW/ - Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (SPUD) has issued a Statement on GE Foods, joining the Council of Canadians in calling for a Canada-wide moratorium on genetically modified organisms and launching an initiative for a GE-Free Vancouver. At the recent DOXA Film Festival, SPUD presented the compelling feature documentary "The Future of Food" to a full house, followed by a forum discussion on the next steps toward creating "zones" free of genetically modified organisms.
"The more I learn about genetic engineering, the more concerned I become about the safety of our food supply," said SPUD Founder & CEO David Van Seters. "Currently, the only way to protect the health of you and your family is to buy Certified Organic food."
Many countries around the world have banned or restricted GE crops, and Europe is home to more than 100 GE-free regions and 3,500 GE-free localities. In June 2004, Powell River became the first GE-free crop zone in Canada and Prince Edward Island is holding a referendum in September to make the entire Province a GMO-free zone. Upcoming meetings in Vancouver include the following:
Join the Movement to Make Canada GE-Free
Council of Canadians with Percy Schmeiser, Dr. Shiv Chopra, Aimee Watson & Colin Palmer
Thursday, June 2nd - doors at 6:30pm (admission free) Maritime Labour Centre - 1880 Triumph St, Vancouver
For more information contact: [email protected]
Make Your Community GE-Free!
Learn how to make a Municipal Resolution with Council of Canadians
Wednesday, June 15th - 7pm
Hosted by SPUD - 1660 East Hastings St, Vancouver
For more information contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
SPUD is Canada's leading organic home delivery service, emphasizing support for local, small scale food providers. SPUD delivers the freshest,
tastiest, organic produce plus a full range of wholesome groceries to homes and offices throughout the BC Lower Mainland, Whistler region and Southern Vancouver Island.
LINKS: Small Potatoes Urban Delivery www.spud.ca
Council of Canadians www.canadians.org
The Future of Food www.lilyfoods.com
For further information: or media inquiries, contact: Lorinda Earl, Amorphous Media, cell (778) 889-7804, email [email protected]
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