GM Seeds Bill passes second reading, referred to committee

The private member's bill introduced by Federal NDP Agriculture Critic Alex Atamanenko that would tighten regulations surrounding the sale of genetically engineered seeds on the world market has passed second reading. If passed into law, the CFIA would be required to analyze the potential harm to export markets "before the sale of any new genetically engineered seed is permitted".  The bill has now been sent on for review by the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food:

Debates of April 14th, 2010

5:55 p.m.

The House resumed from April 1 consideration of the motion that Bill C-474, An Act respecting the Seeds Regulations (analysis of potential harm), be read the second time and referred to a committee.

5:55 p.m.  Liberal   The Speaker Peter Milliken

The House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at second reading stage of Bill C-474 under private members' business.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

6:05 p.m.  Liberal   The Speaker Peter Milliken

I declare the motion carried. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Better Farming is reporting that the Grain Farmers of Ontario are protesting the bill, saying that the proposed bill will create more red tape and reduce science based evaluation in the approval process.  Read the Better Farming article at: Grain growers protest seed bill.

Mr. Atamanenko has reproduced the entire debate on the bill on March 17, 2010 on his website: Debate on Bill C-474.

CBC News - Technology & Science - Triffid seed threatens flax industry

CBC News - Technology & Science - Triffid seed threatens flax industry

The European Union has shut out Canadian-produced flax seed after traces of Triffid, a genetically-modified strain of flax was detected in Canadian shipments. Triffid was engineered in the 1990's at the University of Saskatchewan to allow for the application of herbicides, but was later banned and ordered destroyed over fears of an EU boycott. Now Triffid is showing up again in commericial crops, and it's not clear where it's coming from. The EU was purchasing 70% of Canada's $320-million production prior to the reappearance of Triffid.

Oddly enough, the name Triffid was taken from a flesh-eating plant in a 1951 sci-fi novel called the Day of the Triffids: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triffid