Leaked document reveals
secret plans
09/02/2005 — A document leaked to the ETC
group reveals that Canada is going to the
UN to promote "terminator" technology:
genetically engineered (GE) seeds designed
to grow crops which can't reproduce. These
"suicide seeds," designed solely
to protect the patents and profits of multinational
corporations, are currently forbidden from
being planted outside the lab. The secret
instructions to Canada's delegation: block
concensus on any other option than testing
these seeds in the wild.
"Canada is about to launch a devastating
kick in the stomach to the world's most
vulnerable farmers - the 1.4 billion people
who depend on farm saved seed," said
ETC Group Executive Director Pat Mooney
speaking from Ottawa. "The Canadian
government is doing the dirty work for the
multinational gene giants and the US government.
Even Monsanto wasn't prepared to be this
upfront and nasty."
Public outrage greeted "suicide seeds"
when they were introduced in 1988. Monsanto,
the company which developed the technology,was
forced to back down when activists and scientists
around the world warned of possible wild
crop sterilisation through contamination.
We're concerned that this is an attempt
by at least one person within at least one
department of the Canadian government to
use Canada's political leverage within a
relatively unknown scientific and technical
committee in order to open the door to Terminator
technology's release into the wild.
We contacted Mr Stefan Yarrow, Director
of the plant Biosafety office of the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency.
Mr. Yarrow believes we should give this
technology a chance. He emphasized that
he was not aware of any current applications
to use Terminator seeds and that his department
would review carefully any such application
that might be made in future.
Mr Yarrow said that he simply wants to test
the safety of Terminator genes.
He thinks it's fine that this research
will take place out of doors in large scale
field trials.
He said that he had heard that some third
world farmers were concerned that they wouldn't
be able to save their seed.
The fact is, Terminator technology takes
a massive risk with our food supply, puts
poor farmers into a near-servitude relationship
with seed salesmen, and benefits only the
multinational corporations like Monsanto
which promote it.
So who is really behind the Canadian move?
Is this something that is being done in
the name of Canadian citizens?
Is it official Canadian government policy?
Is Monsanto or any other genetic engineering
company in any way providing Canadian officials
incentives to promote their technology?
You can join us in asking these questions
direct to Mr. Stefan Yarrow (We found him
at telephone number +1 613 225 2342). You
can also join in the online action by the
ETC Group below.
