ACTION ALERT: Support Bill C-517, mandatory labelling legislation

April 29, 2008

Greenpeace Canada has issued an action alert which includes a draft letter to MPs stating, "We all have the right to know what we are eating and the right to not eat GE foods. I support mandatory labelling of GE food, which is already practiced in over 40 countries in Europe and elsewhere. MP Gilles-A. Perron’s Bill C-517 would allow implementation of mandatory labelling in Canada. I am asking you to vote in favour of Bill C-517. Please confirm your intention to support this important bill."

To read more and to reply to their action alert, please go to http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/ge/take-action/take-action-on-c517.

You may remember in June 2001 that the Council of Canadians and more than 80 other groups supported Liberal MP Charles Caccia's private member's bill C-287 on the mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. You might also remember, unfortunately, that in October 2001 the House of Commons defeated C-287 in a vote of 91 to 126, despite an unprecedented 95 per cent support level for this kind of legislation among Canadians.

To read our media releases from that time, please go to http://www.canadians.org/media/food/2001/06-June-01.html and http://www.canadians.org/media/food/2001/17-Oct-01.html.

To read the media release on Bill C-517 from the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (the Council is a member of CBAN), Greenpeace, GE Free BC, and the PEI Coalition for a GMO Free Province, please go to http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/press/press-releases/mps-vote-monsato-or-canadians.

Brent Patterson, Director of Campaigns, Organizing, Council of Canadians.