Press release - June 11, 2007
Member of Parliament Alex Atamanenko (NDP, British Columbia – South Interior) will present a private member’s bill in the House of Commons today that calls for the mandatory labeling of all genetically modified (GMO) products in Canada. Greenpeace welcomes the bill and renewed parliamentary debate on the subject.
"A law on mandatory labeling would be welcomed by an
overwhelming majority of Canadians," said Éric Darier, coordinator
of the GMO campaign at Greenpeace Canada. "At this time, 45
countries have adopted mandatory labeling. It is unacceptable that
the Canadian government continues to deny consumers the right to
know what is in their food."
"The train has left the station and it's time to catch up to
what is increasingly becoming a global reality. Even in the United
States, our closest economic ally, 17 states are currently debating
GMO legislation.", said Darier.
In 2004, the federal government adopted "voluntary" labeling of
GMO products. This measure has yet to produce a single label
indicating "with GMO."
Atamanenko's bill is a re-introduction of Judy Wasylycia-Leis'
(NDP, Winnipeg North) Bill C-317 from the previous (38th)
parliament.
For more information, please contact:
Jocelyn Desjardins, Communications, 514-212-5749
Éric Darier, GMO Campaign Coordinator, 514-605-6497