Mr. Speaker, farmers and many other Canadians are very concerned about the Conservative government's move to be the first country in the world to allow, for the convenience of trade, the low level presence of genetically engineered food not approved for safety in Canada.
Sacrificing health and farmers' livelihoods to force an undemocratic and unnecessary food technology on the rest of the world is a reprehensible approach to food policy.
I am especially concerned for the markets of organic farmers, such as Kevin and Annamarie Klippenstein, of Cawston, B.C., this year's winners of the national outstanding young farmers award.
If the government does nothing to protect them from U.S. approved GE alfalfa spreading its unwanted genes into our country where it is currently illegal, they will be forced out of business.
This is not at all what Canadians have in mind in their calls for a national food strategy to help them meet the many challenges of our increasingly unpredictable world.