Sludge Watch ==> Canadian Government Attacks GM-Free Ireland Campaign

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

There is a concern that Canada, under the ultra conservative Harper gov't,
is changing Canadian laws and regulations to mirror American interests.

The Federal Fertilizer Act, for instance is being reviewed by an industry 
led
group that was given funding by the Harper government.  Americans, including
lawyer for Milorganite, is included on the committee.

Instead of investigating complaints about illegal fertilizers, the public is 
told
to go talk to the industry committee.  It is a bit like complaining to the 
police
about a crime and being told to give your complaint to the mob boss.

..........................................................................


Canadian Government attacks GM-free Ireland campaign
http://www.gmfreeireland.org

The GM-free Ireland Network is the subject of on-going attack by a
biotech industry lobbyist called Shane Morris, who is a paid agent of
the Canadian Government!

Canada is the world's second largest producer of GM crops. According
to the Canadian Government Electronic Directory Services on 22 July
2007, Shane Morris is a Senior Consumer Analyst at the Consumer
Analysis Section of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (download proof
of employment).
http://www.gmfreeireland.org/morris/ShaneMorris.pdf

The Canadian government agent's interference in Ireland's GMO policy
making process includes:

*A web blog at http://www.gmoireland.blogspot.com designed to
discredit Ireland's GMO-free zone policy, the Minister of State for
food and Horticulture, the Green Party, the Irish Doctors
Environmental Association, and the GM-free Ireland Network;

*persuading Bord Bia to withdraw agreed sponsorship for our Green
Ireland conference on branding for food, farming and eco-tourism in
2006; http://www.gmfreeireland.org/conference/trans/bordbia.php

*complaining to the Ireland Funds for their co-sponsorship of the
Briefing on Food Safety and GMOs co-hosted by the European Parliament
Independence / Democracy Group and the GM-free Ireland Network at the
European Parliament Office in Dublin on 15 June 2007;

*defamatory personal attacks on Michael O'Callaghan, Percy Schmeiser
and others;

*letter-writing campaign to Irish newspapers (see news coverage for
June and July 2007); http://www.gmfreeireland.org/news/2007/jun.php
http://www.gmfreeireland.org/news/2007/july.php

*threat of libel action against the GM-free Ireland Network and our
internet service provider in July 2007, unless we agreed to publish
the following statement in relation to an unpublished letter* sent to
the editor of the Irish Times on 29 June 2007, in which we referred
to a controversial scientific paper co-authored by Morris:

***

Gmfreeireland.org would like to correct a claim previously made that
Shane Morris made "fraudulent scientific claims". Gmfreeireland.org
acknowledges such a claim has no legal basis and would like to point
out that:

- No findings of fraud were ever made by the British Food Journal in
regards to the claims in the publication in question.

- The paper in question remains published as a valid piece of
scholarly research.

- The academic award for the paper remains valid.

- A letter of explanation on the matter was published in the British
Food Journal 2006 Vol 108, Issue 8 [The letter's a long-winded piece
of sophistry that, apart from denying the obvious, contradicts Shane
Morris's claim that the wormy corn sign had not been present during
the data collection period - GMW]

***

According to Joe Cummins (Emeritus Professor of Genetics, University
of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada):

"I think it is worth reminding people that Shane is a bureaucrat in
Agriculture Canada and his views are supported by that Ministry. It
is very clear that the Canadian government hired Shane and promote
him in the Ministry as a way of promoting GM crops. Shane's attacks
may seem like sheer lunacy to most of us but the Canadian bureaucrats
think that he is brilliant in damaging the detractors of GM crops. I
expect that they will hire other nationals who will attack those
opposed to GM crops in their home countries."

* [unpublished letter]
http://www.gmfreeireland.org/news/2007/jun.php#shane
Eric Darier
Responsable de la campagne Agriculture
Greenpeace
454, ave. Laurier Est, 3e étage
Montreal H2J 1E7
Tél. (514) 933-0021 x 15
Cell. (514) 605-6497
Fax. (514) 933-1017
Skype: ericdarier
Internet : www.greenpeace.ca/f
NOUVEAU !       Carnet électronique sur les OGM, l'alimentation,
l'agriculture et l'environnement
http://blogues.greenpeace.ca/



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