TimesColonist.com reports that City councillors have unanimously agreed to a motion last week calling for a set of rules to restrict genetically modified plants in B.C. and Canada.
Canadians worried about the potential effects include Victoria councillors Ben Isitt and Jeremy Loveday. They persuaded council to support their motion, stating in a report: “Genetically engineered plants and foods have not been adequately tested by any federal agency for long-term impacts on human and environmental heath.”
They won backing for the idea that all genetically modified foods sold in Canada should be labelled as such.
“We’re calling on the federal government to ensure [that] an adequate system of scientific testing, independent of industry, is in place for all genetically modified crops and products,” Isitt said.
“We’re also calling for a regime of mandatory labelling of all food products containing GMOs, a sensible consumer protection measure that many other countries have already adopted.”
Victoria is joined by other BC municipalities, including Saanich, Metchosin and Powell River, supporting limitations on genetically engineered plants.