Bill C474 Defeated. Potential Harm To Export Markets.

[joedales]

News Release

PMB C-474 was defeated in the House of Commons. The vote was 178 against - 98 for. The Bill is now dead and will not proceed any further.

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz had this to say following the vote:



“The defeat of this bill is good news for farmers.



“It is critical that our system remain based firmly in science not in politics.



“It’s troubling that the Liberals and NDP would not stand unanimously with farmers against this short sighted bill.



“Our Government understands that in order to be competitive, our farmers deserve timely access to cutting edge technology.



“Farmers are best positioned to make decisions on what is best for their business which is why industry must continue to work with producers to evaluate any new products.”

[joedales]

DEFEAT OF C-474 A VICTORY FOR CANADA’S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS

OTTAWA, February 10, 2011 – Randy Hoback, the Member of Parliament for the federal riding of Prince Albert was relieved to see Bill C-474 defeated in the House of Commons yesterday evening.



Bill C-474 a Private Member’s Bill put forward by NDP Agriculture critic, Alex Atamanenko, would have amended the Seeds Regulations Act to require that an analysis of potential harm to export markets be conducted before the sale of any new genetically engineered seed was permitted.



“The adoption of this bill would be of significant detriment to our economy and our agricultural sector, and I am therefore very relieved that enough opposition MPs finally came to their senses and voted against it in order to have it defeated,” said Mr. Hoback. “Had this provisions in this bill already been in place, we would not have a canola industry in Canada. The $13.8 billion in economic activity that canola adds to the Canadian economy would have been lost.”



“Furthermore, support for Bill C-474 would have undermined all of the positive work our Conservative Government, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Hon. Gerry Ritz, has done over the last year opening international markets,” added Hoback “A move away from science-based principles, as outlined in this bill, would have undermined our market access objectives.”


“Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the defeat of this Bill has ensured that it cannot be used as a method through which other countries could impose illegitimate, non-tariff barriers on Canadian exports, in much the same way that the United States has used Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) to restrict Canadian access to American beef markets,” concluded Hoback. “The defeat of Bill C-474 last night in the House of Commons was a victory for the Canadian agricultural sector, and a victory for every farmer across Canada who relies on export into foreign markets to make their livelihood.”

[wd9]

Bill C474 was stupid. Let each industry determine if they wish to release a product if deemed safe for feed food and the environment. Works.

[burnt]

Works for whom?

[wd9]

For everyone that isn't producing contaminated foundation seed that is.

[burnt]

“The defeat of Bill C-474 last night in the House of Commons was a victory for the Canadian agricultural sector, and a victory for every farmer across Canada who relies on export into foreign markets to make their livelihood.”

Does he speak for the farmers who lost their export markets due to Triffid contamination? Or for farmers who once produced non-GE canola but no longer can?

Ritz is like every other politician who speaks for the side who can put the most $ back into his own pocket.

"I'm from the government and I'm here to help you . . ."

Are there any of them that are not paid-off liars?

[gustgd]

Just to be clear burnt. What would you have, some foreign regulator making decisions based on their gut feelings, or protection for their own over subsidized sector.

Canadian farmers export over 80% of what we produce. You want to put that at risk?
Give your head a shake.

[cpallett]

Just to be clear gustgd, it appears that your haed is the one that needs shaking. What this bill would have done is require an examination by CFIA of the possible effect on the ability of Canadian producers to access export markets should the flashy new GMO sought to be approved for marketing contaminate existing seed stocks. Sounds familiar now, doesn't it. Currently there is no requirement whatsoever for any examination of the possible effects on Canadian producers' incomes of releasing onto the market the latest genetic marvel. Not that I am against genetic marvels, just against shooting ourselves in the foot with them (see Canadian flax exports to Europe and Triffid, for example).

The Ritz alternative is to insist that, rather than tailor our production to meet the demands of foreign markets, we require foreign markets to tailor their demand to meet what we care to produce. Could be I'm wrong (my wife tells me so on a regular basis), but that does not sound like a well thought out strategy for success to me.

What the heck is wrong with having a real world look at the potential effects of the latest GMO on Canadian exports BEFORE it is released? Oppenheimer and Fermi thought the Bomb looked great on paper. Scared the beejesus out of them when they saw it go off, however. Perish the thought that we should actually learn something from the flax fiasco.