Canadian scientists coming to Kimberley to speak out against genetically engineered foods

Two Canadian scientists are stopping in Kimberley on a cross-country tour speaking out about the dangers of genetically engineered foods on December 8th. The duo will explain what genetic engineering is, what the risks are, and how concerned citizen can take action. 

Dr. Thierry Vrain, a retired soil biologist and genetic engineer with Agriculture Canada, will explain what genetic engineering is, what the documented health effects are, and describe what the future holds for us if GE foods are not stopped. Dr. Shiv Chopra, a former Health Canada senior scientific advisor and well known scientific whistleblower, will discuss the Canadian regulatory process. He will tell the story of bovine growth hormone (rGBH), highlighting how corporations can hijack government decision making and what can be done to stop them.

The scientists will speak at Centre 64 on Sunday, December 8th at 7pm. Admission is by donation ($8 suggested). The local presentation is sponsored by Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook and the tour is presented by GE Free BC and Greenpeace Vancouver.

“There is so much information and opinion out there in the genetic engineering debate” said Jessica Windle, Wildsight’s Food Sustainability Program Manager, “so it will be really positive to hear from two scientists with decades of experience in the field, who aren’t working for the industry or being muzzled by our government.”
The two presenters will also host a small group strategy discussion for those who want to discuss opposition to GE in Canada from 3:00-4:30pm at Centre 64. Participants are asked to RSVP at wildsight.ca/getour or 250 427 2535 x 223.

“Many people will be surprised to learn that Monsanto grows the parent seed for their genetically engineered Canadian Roundup Ready canola right here in the East Kootenay” said Windle, “so GE crops are a local concern as well.”

GE Food in Canada

Genetically engineering is the insertion of gene sequences, often from another species, into the genetic code of an organism. GE crops are approved in Canada based on industry studies of safety and are not independently tested. There are a large number of studies with conflicting conclusions about the safety of GE foods, which Dr. Vrain will provide an overview of.
In Canada, GE crops of corn, sugar beet, soya, and canola are grown.  When you add up all the foods on the grocery store shelves containing beet sugar, soy or canola oil, soy lecithin or protein, and all the many corn derivatives, you’ll find that GE crops are in up to 75% of processed foods. Canada has rejected mandatory labelling of GE foods, so it can be almost impossible to know what you are eating unless you buy organic food, which is never genetically modified.
Even though there are only four GE crops grown, about 40% of Canada’s principal field crops are GE crops, accounting for 116,000 square kilometers. Contamination of non-GE crops by GE crops is inevitable. For example, for a farmer next door to a farm growing GE canola it is impossible to grow non-GE canola because of contamination from GE pollen.
Most GE crops in Canada are modified to be resistant to specific pesticides, which allows farmers to apply broad-spectrum herbicides to their crop.
Up next? GE alfalfa, apples, and even salmon are close to approval in Canada.

Monsanto in the East Kootenay

Monsanto’s local operation grows the parent seed for their GE Roundup Ready canola in the East Kootenay. Locally grown GE parent seed is then hybridized and sold across Western Canada, accounting for 38% of Canada’s canola production. If you’ve ever noticed a large white tent in a local field, you’ve likely seen GE canola seed in production.
Farmers using Monsanto’s GE canola spray their entire fields with Roundup, a broad-spectrum herbicide, which has its genetic pattern modified to make it resistant to Roundup.
Monsanto has not replied to requests for further details about their local operations.