On Oct 4, 2012, the Agriculture Advisory Committee of Metchosin recommended successfully to pass a by-law that” No GMO edible plants ( vegetables, fruit, herbs, etc) be grown in the District of Metchosin.”
The main reasons, for an unanimous decision were that, there is no GE crops grown in Metchosin at present, while organic production is important to their agricultural economy.
In doing so, Metchosin became the 11th BC community to pass a GE resolution, joining Richmond, Powell River, Kaslo, New Denver, Nelson, Rossland, Salt Spring Island , Denman Island , Eco-village in Cowichan,and Saanich.
In Jan, 2013,the Council of Metchosin, with councillor Moralea Milne working on this, passed a motion to send a Motion to the next level of governance, the Asoociation of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities( AVICC) to ask the BC government to legislate Vancouver Island as a GE Free zone. ( full text below)
GE Watch cv and GE Free BC are rallying support for this motion and we have put an ON LINE PETITION to DECLARE VANCOUVER ISLAND AS A GE FREE ZONE.
We hope to garner a strong show to alert politicians that there are a lot of people concerned about their food safety who want action in this matter.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/648/428/554/declare-vancouver-island-a-ge-free-zone
You can also access this site at GE Watch cv FB page . Please put in your vote and spread the word. Thanks.
The exact Motion before the AVICC is as follows:
Whereas some Genetically Engineered (GE) crops, through pollination, can disperse their pollen and genes indiscriminately and potentially contaminate non-GE crops, resulting in lawsuits, loss of organic certification, and marketability and;
Whereas there is particular concern with the transfer of DNA between species and the potential unintended consequences, especially with animal species and;
Whereas Vancouver Island and associated Coastal Communities are isolated from other agricultural areas in British Columbia, which can provide practical approaches to avoiding contamination by GE organisms and these locations suggest that there is an opportunity for local farmers to provide organic production, to help maintain long-term sustainability, to foster a living seed bank, and to be a refuge from genetically engineered contamination;
Therefore be it resolved that AVICC ask the British Columbia government to legislate the prohibition of importing, exporting and growing of plants and seeds containing genetically engineered DNA, and raising GE animals, on Vancouver Island and associated Coastal Communities and in the marine waters nearby, and to declare, through legislation, that the area encompassed by AVICC is a GE Free area in respect to all plant and animal species.
GE Watchcv (Comox Valley)