How the world has changed. One hundred years ago all food was organic, and 15 years ago our food did not have genes from other species in it. Now genetically modified foods are on our supermarket shelves, and they are not labeled. Most shoppers do not understand the profound changes that have occurred with their food.

GM stands for genetically modified a man made technology which enables scientists to hack into one life form, remove certain genetic information and then artificially force this genetic information into another life form. For example, fish like the Arctic Char can tolerate cold temperatures, but tomatoes don’t. Scientists removed the gene for cold tolerance from the fish and put it into tomatoes, in hopes that the tomatoes could resist frost better. (No longer sold.)

In Canada, many items that we currently eat are genetically modified (GM) or genetically engineered (GE). Currently much soy, corn, canola and sugar made from Sugar Beets are now gene-altered.

In Europe, gene-altered packaged food are labeled so that consumers have an informed choice whether to buy it, and Europe refuses to import Canada’s gene-altered crops for direct human consumption.

There are no human health studies, but independent animal studies show disturbing results, such as organ damage, pre-cancerous lesions, and problems with the liver and pancreas. Duke and Princeton University recently reported that HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) causes obesity and liver damage.

Prairie Farmers have jumped on board to plant the new gene-altered seeds as it means that they don’t have to worry about weeds reducing their yields, or with bugs eating their crops. Short-term that is good for farmers economically, but nature is smart, and now super-weeds are also developing tolerance to herbicides. For consumers it means we are eating more herbicides, as farmers can spray RoundUP directly over the entire crop, as the GM plants are designed to tolerate poisons that will kill all natural green vegetation including weeds. Another genetic manipulation has created crops which create their own pesticide from within. Some crops do both!

Despite the marketing promises of creating solutions to world hunger and preventing blindness - what has the bio-tech industry actually achieved in the last 15 years? Only ‘designer plants’ which don’t die when the new plants are sprayed with poisonous herbicides and new strange plants that create their own pesticides in each cell. This increases herbicide and pesticide sales for multi-national corporations like Monsanto that tampered with the original seeds and holds patents on the new seeds.

People who oppose GMO’s think that it is ignorance and arrogance of the highest order to believe that humans can improve upon what nature has done over millennia. Natural food was good enough for generations of people before us and we should not allow experiments that will affect the food of our children, grandchildren, and the future generations. The changes to the seeds can never be un-done, and the GM/GE seeds and pollen can contaminate the fields of farmers who want to stick with growing conventional and organic food. Health conscious consumers want Bill C474 to be passed this October.

If Bill C474 is not supported then Canada will likely become the only country in the world to genetically modify alfalfa and wheat. I am not sure Canadian citizens actually want that dubious distinction as a national legacy.

Written by Heidi Osterman CN, President TFF
www.truefoodfoundation.org