Genetically Modified Food
Background on GMO’s
The term ‘genetically modified’ or ‘genetically engineered’ refers to a complex
process of gene manipulation, whereby desirable genetic traits are selectively
rearranged, taken from one species and given to another. The procedures for
genetically modifying seeds were developed in the 1970’s, and the 1990’s saw
the beginnings of this biotechnology being used in commercial food production.
The technology has been heralded as an answer to global food security, and as
having the positive effect of increased agricultural production; through the
control of pests and increased resistance of plants to disease and to certain
herbicides. However, concerns about environmental damage, unknown health risks,
and commercial monopolization have given rise to controversy and debate.
During the 1990’s, as commercial GM crops became a reality, the resistance to
herbicides and the reduction of pesticides were major selling points for the GM
seeds, on behalf of the stakeholders. A representative of the company Monsanto
declared that “the whole purpose is to reduce pesticides and increase yields.”
Despite concerns and criticism as to the effects of GM processes, voiced from
the beginning of this ‘biotechnical breakthrough’, companies promoting them
were adamant that GM crops were essentially the same as the non-GM
counterparts. An Article from Globe and Mail cited the company manager of
public relations for Monsanto as saying “Monsanto’s crop (of GM canola) is a
demonstration project to show farmers that herbicide resistant canola is just
like the regular plant.”
What has followed in the years succeeding the initial implementation of
commercial GM crops provides evidence that neither pesticide reduction, nor the
claim of bio-identity between GM and non-GM plants is true. In fact, pesticide
use has been seen to increase because of GM crops. And, when altering the
genetic make-up of a species, ultimately what is being done is creating a new
species that did not previously exist. The argument that a GM crop and a non-GM
crop are somehow one and the same does not provide an adequate basis on which
we can assume that GM crops are harmless to our health and our environment.
There are a multitude of concerns about possible consequences of GM crop
production. David Suzuki notes in his book Good News for a Change, that
predictions of possible effects include “anti-biotic resistance up and down the
food chain,” and the potential for the destruction of “the ability of large
numbers of plant species to ever reproduce themselves again.” We just don’t
know what long term health consequences may ensue, be it increased cancer rates
due to heightened pesticide use, human resistance to antibiotics, or allergic
reactions, to name a few.
Canada’s Policy on GM Food Products
Food labeling in Canada falls within the jurisdictional boundaries of both the
federal and provincial governments. There are copious acts and pieces of
legislation affecting labeling at both levels. These include the Quebec Charter
of the French Language, the Federal Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act, the
Fish Inspection Act, and the Canadian Agricultural Act. The main piece of
legislation regarding GM labeling is the Canadian Food and Drugs Act. Under the
Food and Drugs Act, the two key bodies dealing with food safety are Health
Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Health Canada works to
“establish policies, regulations and standards related to the safety and
nutritional quality of all food sold in Canada.” The CFIA “is responsible for
enforcing the food safety policies and standards that Health Canada sets.”
Because Health Canada deals with the safety requirements of GM food products,
it is important to understand how such an assessment is framed.
Health Canada regulates the safety of genetically modified food items through
designating them ‘novel foods’. There are three criteria that designate a food
‘novel’. These are, a “food resulting from a process not previously used for
food..., products that do not have a history of safe use as a food..., and
foods that have been modified by genetic manipulation.” So, what makes a novel
food safe? Health Canada evaluates the safety of a novel food through a comparison
with a food that is not novel, a method known as the ‘Standard Equivalency
Test.’ This means that, if considered close enough to a food already deemed
safe for consumption, the GM product is approved for sale to the Canadian
public, and does not require any labelling stating that the item is genetically
modified. If any risk to health arose, the GM product would be labelled in
accordance to pre-GM risk designations; for example, if the product proposed a
certain allergy risk, it would be labelled with an allergy risk warning.
Potential long-term risks are not a part of the assessment. To date, no
genetically modified food product for sale has been labelled as genetically
modified, and no application for the sale of a GM product has been turned down
based on health risks. There are 81 GM food products accepted as meeting sale
requirements in Canada. It is estimated that around 70 percent of processed
foods contain genetically engineered ingredients. Without labelling, we have no
means of measuring and identifying long-term risks.
The Royal Society of Canada, an organization of Canadian scientists and
scholars, has addressed the need for improvement on the ‘standard equivalence’
test, currently the leading scientific evaluation for the safety of GE foods. In
2001, the Expert Panel on the Future of Food Biotechnology released a report
criticizing the Canadian regulatory system. Panel member Conrad Brunk, of the
University of Waterloo, stated “When it comes to human and environmental safety
there should be clear evidence of the absence of risks; the mere absence of
evidence is not enough. The onus is clearly on the government to establish
testing and approval mechanisms that meet the highest scientific standards.”
Despite the opinions of the panel, the Canadian regulatory continues to put the
onus of proof upon the opponent, throwing all caution to the wind.
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