6 — Sunday, October 24, 1999 — North Shore News north shore news EWPOINT ruel realities RUSADING politician Ernie Crist is tapping another mother- hood issue — just in time for the upcoming municipal election. The North Vancouver District coun- cillor presented a motion Mondsy night calling on the district to declare itself a “cruelty to animais free zone.” Noble cause, yes, but the motion is more posturing than practical. It underscores the obvious: who is not against cruelty to animals? — ‘But Crist’s motion begs thé ques- tion .of how the district is going to become a cruelty-to-animals-free-zone. “Is:there to be a new municipal ani- mal apprehension force formed to patrol. neighbourhoods secking out acts Of exuelty? : In there to te d separate animal jus- tice; prosecution system éstablished. to deal with whatever culprits are collared “Get off the < floor, ‘id. You'v ve got your money.” Hollywood movie mogul Jack Warner, to Warren iterally begged for the moncy | Bonnie and Ciyde. (Fre on Ort. 22 This Week . becoming ever less'sure of what we are —— and (shudier!) may after the actor had by the anirna! strike force? And is Coun. Crist implying through his metion that North Vancouver District is currently a haven for animal cruelty? Fellow Coun. Trevor Carolan right- ly pointed out that the establishment of the zone would make the district a “laughingstock.” He likened the proposai to the one in neightouring North Vancouver City that has established that municipality as a “nuclear free zone”— now madc safe by council from nuclear bom’ con- struction ard radiation fallout. Cruelty to animals is repugnant to all civilized people. But Crist’s motion reeks far more of political opportunism than practical municipal political leg- work. It’s an diversion of council time from the compietion of real municipal business. the saying goes, today we're - become, Thanks to -_ genetically modified: (GM) foods. ~ : Alarm bells rang fa week in Ottawa when" 200 Health Canada sci- prcesing th that they. -. lacked the staff needed to examine the potential health risks of GM - foods, ong them numerous, basic agti- “cultural products including canola oil. -They also issued a dire warning © against the proposed transfer of food ’ safety control from the heaith minister to the agriculture minist. they declared, would havea ‘clear, con-_ n — regardless of IF we ar iced what we et, ca red at last weck’s council mg¢ © appea ficy, whi yol-. for two yous ‘the commitice, but didnot give him a Oct. 22: ‘News story. ‘the work. (From or,other giant bio- | *erigincering ‘orporations. ave been messin abou with it , Predictably, Rock pooh- -poohed the © fears of his boffins. At soon as Bill C-80 _ is passed, putting food safety contro), “into the hands of Agriculture Minister - . Lyle Vanclief, all will be well, he assured the media, An echo, maybe, of his mas- er’s famous Chretien-ism: “Don’t: “ ju. Worry, be ’appy!” ¢ curious lack of concern 4 At issue is by Canadians and Americans about the |‘ , stomach dama C. findings on -Bended by. the institute — until rion te TAX CUTS AAD $5 SILLON in PAY EQUITY? HOW ARE WE GONNA DO BOTH, still unknown effects of GM foods, in. sharp contrast to the recent exploding” opposition to, them in Europe — as well as in Asia; where the biotech firms are - ; teying to enslave farmers with costly, | one-season-only seeds. ‘In Britain, for example, . the respected London “. newspaper The : Independent claims the only major players stil . “supporting GM foods are Monsanto Me - Corporation and the . Blair goverament — the former having re ortedly supported Blair in the last clec- ~ -tion, And from Britai there has also recently emerged the first explorztory evidence of health damage from GM foods — the work of Dr. ‘Arpad Pusztai, a senior scientist at the .. prestigious Rowett Research Enstitute in: Aberdeen. | ©: : On feeding. genctically modified potatoes to. rats, he observed stunted wth and impaired immune systems, including kidney, spicén, thymus’and - r revealing his. ¢ was silenced and sus- iebruaty 1999 a group of 20 scientists from 13 countries issued a manifesto demanding Dr Pusztai’s reinstatement - atid supporting his tentative findings. Ie aa was su the - “OT sequently revealed th: Rowett Institute had received ‘from Monsanto. . Mcanwhile, tast April seven European supermarket chains — Te: Sainsbury’s, Iceland, Mark: tional, as well as PowT WORRY! REMEICER, bSE'RE DEALING WITH WOME! ea SURE WELL GET AWAY WITH POMING THEM LESS THAN WHAT TREY. ASKED FOR. eanse tg te nm jointly patro grower : who can deli iver, toed ¢ of GM: orgasms Shortly what amounted to 4 majo thi genetic ¢ ngincering, industry, they were joined by Unilever multina- y Nestle and Cadbury: Schweppes. bap a At the moment the 1 inaj r problem ‘with GM foods i is that labelling ( voluntary). remains rare or'ncn-cxistent: So consumers have no way. of kn whether or not the ah re cating GM. pi ucts: Once they did, the likeli that GM food sales would jump, bly to zero — the. worst for the giant chemical that are betti ing cri tions biotec ines iterall are stuff down people’s th :- may.do to us? real ly all that ‘smarter then