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First posted: 1 August 2008
Updated: 1 October 2008 (including information provided by the Canadian
Biotechnology Action Network)
Tree
species being engineered:
- Poplar (5). At present there is only
one open-air trial in Canada, on a genetically engineered poplar.
(1) According to government sources, “These poplars contain
no new gene; instead they have an enhancer that alters the expression
of surrounding genes to find out more about their functions”.
(5) It is unclear if that trial is related or not to a research on
“Transgenic Populus tremula x alba trees” presented at
the 6th Canadian Plant Genomics Workshop (Toronto, June 2008) by Wenchun
Zhou, Chelsea J-T Ju, Mark Davis, Robert Sykes, Armand Seguin, Caroline
Levasseur and Janice Cooke. (7)
Past research:
- In Canada, there have been one or two
field trials in any given year since 1997. (1)
- Alberta Pacific Forest Industries carried out a field trial of glyphosate-resistant
poplars in 1998 in Alberta. Ended in 2002. (4).
- Since 2000, open-air field tests have only been carried out by government
researchers at the Canadian Forest Service, not by private companies
(1)
- Past research has involved poplar species, White Spruce (Picea glauca)
and Black Spruce (Picea mariana). Genetic engineering was aimed at
herbicide resistance (poplar), resistance to spruce budworm (White
Spruce) and genetic research with use of marker genes (Black Spruce).
The trees were cut down in 2006. (2)
Those carrying
out the research:
- Laurentian Forestry Centre of the Canadian
Forest Service under Natural Resources Canada, Government of Canada
(1, 7)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta (7)
Those
who provide support to research:
- Government of Canada (3, 6)
Regulatory
framework for research and field trials:
- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA) regulates approval to field test and commercially release genetically
engineered trees through the Seeds Act. This agency is also responsible
for regularly inspecting each field trial to ensure that all the terms
and conditions are followed. (4)
Field trials:
- Laurentian Forestry Centre (government
research station plot at woods near Val Cartier, Quebec) has an open-air
trial of a genetically engineered poplar. (1)
Organizations
opposing GE trees:
ACEF de Québec
ACT for the Earth
Amies de la Terre de l'Estrie
Amies de la Terre de Québec
British Columbia Food Systems Network
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network
Communications, Energy & Paperworkers Union of Canada
Comité Uni-verts du Cégep de Gaspé
Conseil régional de l'environnement-Montréal
Council of Canadians
Dogwood Initiative
Earth Action, PEI
Earthroots, Ontario
Ecocert Canada
Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario
Ecology Action Centre, Nova Scotia
ECOTERRA North America
Environmental Coalition of PEI (ECO PEI)
Environment North
Équiterre
ETC Group
Falls Brook Centre
Federation of Alberta Naturalists
Forest Caucus of the Canadian Environmental Network
Friends of the Earth Canada
Friends of the Oldman River
GENEaction, Toronto
Greenpeace Canada
Groupe de Recherche d'intérêt Public de l'UQAM
Groupe Solidarité Justice SNJM du Québec
Indigenous Network on Economics and Trade
L’Association Manger Santé Bio
Le Poids vert de Rimouski-Neigette, Quebec
Maison des femmes de Rimouski, Quebec
National Aboriginal Forestry Association
National Farmers Union of Canada
Nature Québec
Nature Saskatchewan
Oakvillegreen Conservation Association
Option consommateurs
Peaceful Parks Coalition
Polaris Institute
Réseau québécois des groupes écologistes
Sierra Club of Canada
Sierra Youth Coalition
SOS Gaia
Society for a GE Free BC
Under The Sleeping Buffalo (UTSB) Research, Alberta
Union of Ontario Indians
Union Paysanne, Quebec
USC Canada
West Kootenay EcoSociety, BC
Relevant
opposition web pages:
www.cban.ca/getrees
(Canadian Biotechnology Action Network)
Sources:
(1) www.cban.ca/getrees
(2) http://blogues.greenpeace.ca/2006/12/19/arbres-ogm-au-quebec/
(3)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2003/10/20/gm_trees031020.html
(4) http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/biotechnology/genetic/5
(5)
http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/biotechnology/trees/7
(6) http://foretscanada.rncan.gc.ca/articletopic/37
(7) http://cpgw2008.cagef.utoronto.ca/CPGW2008_final_program_abstracts.pdf
