Does Canada Need Bill C-474? – Interview With MP Alex Atamanenko, NDP

[charliep]

Just curious what would have done differently in bill c-474 had been
in place in the late 1990's/early 2000's. The bill is open to
interpretation and doesn't deal with issues of liability from what I
can see.

Regardless of what Canadian law says, the Europeans require their
own scientific analysis under the EFSA and the political of having
overall EU approval and that of individual states. EU does allow GE
grains/products - you just have to follow the rules including the
political elements of the approval process.

[mcfarms]

Ton you;re dead on to the root of many issues, lack of property rights in Canada.

[shaney]

I have heard from many different people that bill 474 would of never prevented the triffid flax issue because the variety was never commercialized.

As shown in one of the earlier posts above, the bill is a one sentence bill that is about preventing biotech crops from being commercialized. Its is being pushed by the organic growers and alfalfa seed growers.

The push needs to be towards developing a global LLP policy instead of focusing on numbers like zero or 100.

[wd9]

But what happened to RIONAP?

[charliep]

[ward.toma]

Responsible Introduction of New
Agricultural Products (RIONAP) was the
focus of a CWB led policy discussion
that would have investigated the
cost/benefit of new ag products prior to
approval in Canada. It was a partial
response to the potential introduction
of RR wheat.

The Government of Canada had issues with
its potential to be in violation of
outstanding trade agreements and
international treaties.

The NFU opposed it as
well(http://www.nfu.ca/ufq/newsletter/uf
_june_2005.pdf).

Thus it died but has been partially
reborn as Bill C 474.

[TOM4CWB]

WD9,

All this proves to me... is that you can't enact legislation to stop stupidity!!!

Too much of anything... without balance... will kill us!

[wd9]

Would be a shame to lose the science based reg system.

[TOM4CWB]

WD9,

Would you like to buy some ocean front property is SK? I bet you can buy many beaches at cheap discount prices!

Politics is Politics... no matter what country you are from... ESPECIALLY when it comes to the food people eat!

How much science was in 'Mad Cow'? If it was... wouldn't we test every animal we eat?

[shaney]

Tom,
You are hitting the exact reason we cannot
approve bill 474. Using mad cow as the example,
we were subjected to non scientific decisions buy
our beef trading country partners. The trade of
beef was cut off because of mainly non-scienific
reasons.

Why would we commit the same mistake with seed
genetics. Handing over our regulatory system to
foreign political interests is not at all in the best
interests of farmers.