The federal government held its ground last week against increasing political pressure to immediately require labeling of all foods containing genetically modified material.
Through more than seven hours of House of Commons debate, government speakers insisted their cautious approach is the best bet for consumers.
The Bloc QuŽbecois, supported by New Democrat MPs and at least one Liberal, insist consumers have a right to know whether their food contains GM material.
The government insists such labeling is only useful if it announces something that can be measured and scientifically proven. It is supporting a study into voluntary labeling and insists that in the meantime, all food is inspected for health and safety before it can be marketed.
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“The government is committed to exploring how labeling can best serve the public,” agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief said during the debate. “The government is not opposed to labeling, but it has to be credible, meaningful and enforceable. … If we are going to be fair to the consumer, all those criteria have to be met.”
Late in the week, BQ MP HŽlene Alarie said her pursuit of mandatory labeling means that for now, new GM products should not be approved.
“It is a call in favor of the precautionary principle or a moratorium on GMOs until there is transparency in the process, the public understands it and labeling is made mandatory so as to let people decide what they want to eat,” she said.
But when Alarie continued and pointed to new European Union labeling requirements and said this will cost Canadian farmers export opportunities, the government counter-attacked.
The EU labeling requirements look better on paper than they do in practice, Canadian Wheat Board minister Ralph Goodale said.
It has “the appearance of effectiveness but in fact at the root of it, the Europeans do not have the capacity to make their system meaningful, credible and enforceable,” he said May 5. “Therefore, their approach is largely a mirage.”
Bloc on offensive
The BQ pursued the issue throughout last week, first with an all-day debate, then a second debate Friday and with daily queries during Question Period.
Canadian Alliance agriculture critic Howard Hilstrom said a better option would be to allow companies to voluntarily label products GMO free.
“Voluntary labeling would address the needs of producers, giving producers who want to grow GMO-free crops the ability to develop niche markets,” he said. “There is nothing the matter with that.”
