WHEREAS the BC Fruit Growers Association has asked the Okanagan Valley Regional Districts to investigate the establishment of a Genetically Engineered GE Free Zone for tree fruit products, fruit and plant material in our respective regional districts; AND WHEREAS orchard after neighbouring orchard of tree fruits can potentially be contaminated with GE DNA constructs by the activities of pollinating insects like honeybees and the transport of honeybees from one orchard to another by the beekeepers; AND WHEREAS the Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative, where over 80 of the commercial tree fruit crop in British Columbia is received, packed, stored, graded and shipped, will deny any GE fruit or fruit containing GE DNA constructs; AND WHEREAS 100 of the organic tree fruit orchards in BC that are found to contain GE fruit or fruit containing GE DNA constructs would lose their organic certification: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM ask the British Columbia government to legislate the prohibition of importing, exporting, and the domestic production of fruit and plant material containing GE DNA constructs and to declare through legislation that BC is a GE Free province in respect to all tree fruit products; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that UBCM forward this motion to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for similar consideration for legislation by the federal government to establish the country of Canada to be GE Free in respect to all tree fruit products.
Ministry of Agriculture The Province recognizes that production of Genetically Engineered GE fruit trees and their products, including tree fruit and pollen, raises human and environmental health concerns in export markets. These concerns can negatively impact access to those export and some domestic markets for both conventional and organic products. Currently, Health Canada has no objection to only one GE fruit, papaya. If the Federal Government were to allow unconfined production of GE trees and other fruits in Canada, the fruit production and sales could be significantly impacted. The Province will explore the complex GE fruit issue and the UBCM resolution to request legislation to prohibit the BC production, importation and export of GE fruit trees and their products. Upon completion of this review, the Province will provide UBCM with its findings.
Agriculture Agri-Food Canada Please be assured that the Government of Canada considers issues of safety to be of the utmost importance. Indeed, Canada has one of the most stringent and rigorous regulatory systems in the world. This extends to crops or foods that are modified or contain genetic modification - all of which must undergo a comprehensive science-based approval process involving both Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Canadas regulatory system for products of agricultural biotechnology is designed so that every possible precaution is taken; the safety of new products is carefully and cautiously assessed before these products can be cultivated by a grower, used in livestock feed or made available to the consumer. The Government of Canada believes that industry is best positioned to make market-based decisions regarding the commercialization of products approved as safe for food, feed and the environment. Experience with new agricultural technologies has shown that communication and co-operation throughout the value chain can help ensure that decisions concerning their introduction are made in a manner that appropriately recognizes and reflects market-related considerations. From a national perspective, it is important that producers continue to have choice in selecting the agricultural practices and technologies that offer them the most benefits, both economic and environmental. Co-operation throughout the value chain is a critical aspect of protecting markets and can help foster successful coexistence. While there are indeed significant opportunities in organic agriculture, it is also important to note that biotechnology applications can contribute to advancing the sustainability of agriculture. Biotechnology can create solutions not only to increase food production, but also to respond to a number of environmental challenges and risks to human health. It should be noted that any legislation that may arise out of British Columbias Legislature would need to be carefully examined in light of possible federal-provincial jurisdictional issues, including the shared jurisdiction over agriculture. Further, legislation regulating Canadas agricultural production destined for interprovincial and international trade are under the exclusive competence of the federal government. However, legislation on the powers over property and civil rights are under provincial jurisdiction.