Canada’s industrial success in biotechnology
The Canadian biotechnology industry employs almost 10,000 scientific researchers and skilled workers. With annual sales totalling more than $1 billion, Canadian biotechnology companies invest close to $600 million a year in research and development across the country. Canadian biotechnology companies accounted for 1998 export sales of more than $400 million. The Canadian biotechnology sector is […]
Liberals focus too much on polls, leaves vision out of focus
In September of 1999, the Liberal government announced its support for voluntary labelling on genetically modified products. Not only does this non-committal stance on labelling place their motives in question but, that the Liberals hold such a woolly position on such a consequential issue only exacerbates the anxieties of Canadians in this regard. Forgive my […]
Gene therapy illustrates benefits
A 52-year-old Toronto patient receives Canada’s first gene therapy treatment for heart disease. British doctors use gene therapy to cure a woman dying from terminal ovarian cancer. Researchers hope to complete mapping the entire genetic make-up of humans this year, opening incredible new possibilities for medical treatments for previously incurable diseases. These breakthroughs are due […]
Government must stop being apologists for corporate causes
The controversy over genetically engineered (GE) food has shone a spotlight on the federal government’s handling of health protection issues. For the federal Liberals, that spotlight is an unwelcome intrusion revealing a history of secrecy, a lack of public consultation, and a reliance on industry self-regulation. It also reveals public concern and mistrust created by […]
Food labelling: much more than just a sticker
Canada’s current food labelling system makes a lot of sense. It requires mandatory labelling to provide consumers with information about safety, nutrition and major changes in food products. It applies to all foods, including those derived from biotechnology. Any other information can be included on a label on a voluntary basis, respecting government guidelines. All […]
Genetically modified organisms in food: legislation is imperative
In the past few months, members of the public have learned that genetic modification affects the food they eat. They have learned that, for several years, a considerable proportion of the food on their plates has been genetically modified, with no public consultation or information. Recently there has been a strong public opinion challenge to […]
Monarch butterflies and lab rats
Two unfounded scares about genetically improved crops show how easy it is to leap to the wrong conclusions, based on partial information. Critics of biotechnology have pounced on two studies on the impact of genetically improved corn on Monarch butterflies and GM potatoes on lab rats, portraying the studies as examples of the dangers of […]
Changes needed to ensure corporate interest don’t prevail: insiders say publicly that Canadian Food Inspection Agency management “cares little aobut food safety, about science, about the public”
In the public debate over biotechnology, Parliamentarians need to ask two basic questions. Both surfaced during the Senate inquiry into recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), the first genetically-engineered drug to reach Health Canada regulators — and a drug that was not allowed on the market. The questions: Are federal regulators prepared to handle an influx of […]
Bt corn saves millions for Canada’s farmers
Canada’s corn crops are under attack. Now, thanks to genetic science, a naturally occurring bacterium from soil is coming to the rescue. The European corn borer is the most damaging insect pest for corn throughout Canada and the United States. The insect’s larvae can carve deep tunnels through the stalks, killing the plants or seriously […]
From Parizeau to Lisee: the new world of Lucien Bouchard
First, Jacques Parizeau blamed Premier Lucien Bouchard for not doing enough to promote sovereignty. Because people say they don’t want a referendum now, does not mean, according to the retired former premier, they should not have one. At the other extreme of the same party, we now find Jean-Francois Lisee, a former key strategic thinker […]
