Evidence of meeting #26 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was gmo.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President, Imperial Seed (1979) Ltd.
Do you want it growing along the Trans-Canada highway?
President, Imperial Seed (1979) Ltd.
I'm learning how you guys operate. You just keep talking.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Yes, but this is the problem. There's nothing in science that says it's bad for me, so why do I care?
President, Imperial Seed (1979) Ltd.
No, but does the public... It's not a matter of whether it's bad for you or not. Does the public want Monsanto products? Is Monsanto or CFIA going to accept responsibility for their gene escape? That is the question.
If they accept responsibility and I can turn around and sue them for my millions of dollars lost, and my farmers can sue them because their technology is on our land where we don't want it, if they will accept responsibility, I don't think we would be having this argument.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
But I could take that same example and use it for a farmer who grows grain right next to an organic farmer. Let's say thistle seed blows in from the organic guy's fields. A shot of Lontrel and it's fixed, but he won't use it. And I pay because my yields are reduced because he won't use it.
There are always examples of that, but government--
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Just let me finish.
But government is basically not here to decide marketplace. It's not our role to decide what's acceptable in the marketplace or not. It's our role to accept whether it's safe for the consumer to consume or not.
President, Imperial Seed (1979) Ltd.
But it says you have an environmental... The CFIA did an environmental impact so they have acknowledged the fact that they are in approval of Roundup Ready alfalfa being on the public's land.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Again, I have to trust the CFIA and their science and how they go about doing it, because they're set up there.
President, Imperial Seed (1979) Ltd.
Well, no... But they're your employees. The Government of Canada employees have said they are in favour of cross-pollination. They acknowledged in the discussion report that this is going to happen.
So that means that the Government of Canada is in favour, by default, of our native alfalfa in our national parks, on our roadways from Ontario all the way to Alberta, and on the Trans-Canada highway, being contaminated with Roundup Ready alfalfa.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Mr. Shmon, this is turning into a debate and we're out of time as it is.
I'll just remind the witnesses that the questions get asked from here, not from your end.
I'd like to thank our witnesses for being here today.
I have a reminder to our members that the report on the future of agriculture--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Order, please. Our report today on the future of agriculture was sent out to every member. On Wednesday we'll be dealing with that report, so you have 48 hours before we get at it.
The meeting is adjourned until Wednesday.