Sunnyside Verified

Posted Tuesday, Apr 18, 2017

    A second hour of debate is scheduled on May 5th for Bill C-291, which proposes an amendment to the Food and Drugs Act to establish mandatory labelling for products containing genetically modified organisms (GMO's).

    The bill was proposed by MP Pierre-Luc Dusseault with the simple goal of obtaining "more transparent information on the labels of food that is consumed in Canada because Canadians have the right to know in detail what they consume."

    Opinion polls over the last two decades have found that between 80%-90% of Canadians support such an initiative. Unfortunately, Calgary-Confederation MP Len Webber does not seem interested in representing the interests of his constituents: 

Len Webber Response Letter

    Firstly, Mr. Webber's claim that there is a consensus on GMO safety is false. While Health Canada's current position maintains GMO products are safe for human consumption, the broader scientific community has found that no such consensus exists. Here are two recent studies that confirm GMO safety is still very much up for debate: 

These findings are particularly troubling considering a recent test on Canadian food found glyphosate residue on nearly a third of food samples. For more information on glyphosate, its danger and relation to GMO's, check out this post

    A petition set up in-store gathered over two hundred signatures asking Mr. Webber to vote yes on Bill C-291. There is still time to contact your MP before the May 5th reading. 

    Secondly, Mr. Webber suggests it is the role of the market and not the government to label GMO's. We've gone ahead and done just that:  

verified poster v02 22jan16 small

    We're proud to announce Sunnyside Verified, our store labelling initiative that represents the integrity of our store's purchasing policy and assures customers a product is Non-GMO. This includes products that are Certified Organic, Biodynamic, and Non GMO Project certified, as well as products in which the producer has provided us with the proper documents to ensure their product is non-GMO. 

    We believe that GMO labelling is all about choice—the right to know what is in our food and to choose Non GMO. We're committed to helping our customers make that choice by posting 'Buying Guides' for key food groups in the store. In addition to our 'Egg Buying Guide', we will be unveiling additional consumer info for our meat, seafood & dairy sections. Look for details about producers regarding feed, animal treatment and certification.

Sagar Kothiya Posted Apr 18, 2017