SmartStax is Not Smart

OTTAWA--The Green Party of Canada is joining today with citizens around the planet to support the first “International Day of Action Against Multinational Corporations” initiated by La Via Campesina, the international peasant farmers’ movement.

The day of action focuses on multinational corporations, and in particular Monsanto, because, according to La Via Campesino, corporations are the “main threat to peasant and indigenous families and humanity” and Monsanto, as the world’s biggest seed company, owns 90% of all GM crops on the planet.

“The Green Party is calling on Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq to withdraw approval for Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) “SmartStax” corn, authorized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency this summer without an assessment by Health Canada for human health effects,” says Sharon Labchuk, Green Party Agriculture Critic.

Labchuk calls this move irresponsible.  “There is no mandatory labeling of GM foods in Canada so Health Canada can’t even track potential health effects of this corn.  Government should be looking out for the health and well-being of Canadians, not aiding Monsanto’s bid for ever more control over the food production system.”

“Canadian farmers have already rejected Monsanto’s GM wheat and alfalfa and face the loss of European markets for their flax because of GM contamination of this important crop,” says Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.

The Green Party would transition Canadian agriculture to organic production, which prohibits genetically modified crops, and enable local economies, resulting in less corporate control and more food security for farmers and citizens.

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Contact:
Debra Eindiguer
Press Secretary
(c) 613-240-8921
media@greenparty.ca
www.greenparty.ca