Agriculture Committee on Sept. 29th, 2016

[Paul Mayers]

The majority use of that standard in labelling has been for non-GM declarations, which is equally covered by the standard, as opposed to GM declarations.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

We don't necessarily have evidence or information about the number of products that have been approved as GMO foods or the take-up rate by those products to advertise as GMO.

[Paul Mayers]

Yes. It is quite low. We know that some companies have recently indicated their intent to label. They are multinationals, so this is not Canadian only. At present, that is a very small number.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Fair enough. The science that you've come with to the committee today is helpful. I think it's amazing to hear how we've had these products since 1993, and there haven't been the risks that some people might think there are.

When we look at access to markets and we look at the international experience...just look south of the border. Vermont enacted a mandatory labelling law, and that's been recently superceded by the federal law. The vote was 306-117 in the U.S. Congress, which is a massive majority. Obama signed it into law, I think just in August.

In your opinion, would it make sense to follow suit by following our partners in the U.S. and have a mandatory labelling law?

[Paul Mayers]

You've now strayed into policy, which officials can't comment on, and so I won't because we can't.

We have been watching the U.S. developments with great care. It's an important market, and we'll want to be in a position, as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, given our regulatory responsibilities for labelling, to support Canadian business for products going to the U.S. That's as far as I can take it, unfortunately.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

You had mentioned the idea that you struggle with consumer confidence. Don't you think that improved labelling laws and an emphasis on informed consumer choice might strengthen that consumer confidence?

[Paul Mayers]

Consumer confidence is a complex issue. It's always interesting when you contrast poll outputs with behaviour in the marketplace. I think this is one of the poster child issues for differences between what people say in polls and what they do in the marketplace. Beyond that, I'm not going to suggest that I have the answer. Like I said, it then strays into an area where I can't go.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

I think you can advise on policy to the committee. I think you're allowed.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

My last question is about—and I think my colleague Ms. Lockhart touched on it—the release of some of these animals. We're going to see more of these animals released into the wild.

I noted that it seems like we have a ton of rules and a ton of regulations, and the number of experts who are reviewing this product to make sure it's safe is incredible. It appeared to me there weren't the same levels of rules, standards, and review capacity to make sure that, after the fact, once this product's been approved, we're following up and making sure these products aren't going to be released in the wild, and that we're making sure it's just as safe on that front.

Do you have any comments on that?

[Paul Mayers]

Let me assure you that, in terms of addressing oversight in relation to food, that's the principal role the agency plays, so with respect to responsibilities in review, inspection, etc., that falls in our jurisdiction, absolutely, and I think the same would hold for my colleagues in Environment Canada as it relates to the enforcement with relation to CEPA, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. I would have the same confidence in the CFIA that I have in Environment Canada to ensure that those rules are indeed respected.

We have to recognize that genetic modification isn't being applied just in this space. Many of you may have read about the really interesting research that is being done with genetically modified mosquitos in relation to Zika—the management of mosquito population by genetic modification. The same is going to be applied before consideration of the release into the environment for an application like that, as much as we would have looked at it in terms of GM salmon.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Bev Shipley]

Thank you very much.

Now we will go to Ms. Brosseau, for six minutes, please.

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

For the approval of the GM salmon, it's the same if you were to approve genetically modified animals as if you were to approve a seed or a fruit. It's the same kind of process. It doesn't change just because it is an animal or a mammal.

The Arctic apple has been approved in Canada. Can you explain where that is? Can we go to the grocery store and buy it right now? Can you just update us on where we are with the fruit side of genetically modified foods?

[Karen McIntyre]

Certainly. Though the Arctic apple was approved—I believe less than a year ago—it is not available on the market because they are in the process of planting the trees, but the trees have to grow for a few years before they start to produce fruit. It is not available now, but it may be in the future.

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Will they be grown mainly in B.C.?

[Karen McIntyre]

That's right.

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

I know we talked a little about pigs. I was going through online.... I guess in China they have a “double-muscled” pig. Do you know about the double-muscled pig?

[Paul Mayers]

I don't, personally, but I'll go looking when we are done.

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

I was just trying to look at what has been done elsewhere and what could potentially come up here.

One of the presentations says that the use of biotechnology for animals has not progressed at the same rate as it has for oilseeds and grains. What would be next? The salmon has basically set a precedent. Are there any other applications or genetically modified animals—fish or mammals—in the works? Is there anything that might be coming down the pipeline that you could talk to us about?

[Paul Mayers]

I don't have specific examples.

[Karen McIntyre]

There are no other genetically modified animals in the pipeline right now.

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Okay.

I guess that's all I have. Does anybody want my time?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Bev Shipley]

Well, we'll move on. We'll go to Mr. Morrissey, please. You have six minutes.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I will acknowledge that I am familiar with the company that has developed AquAdvantage. It was AquaBounty.

Did I hear you correctly? When was the first GM product approved in Canada for commercial production?

[Paul Mayers]

It was in 1993 when the first food product of GM—