November 15, 2001
		Canadian Minister of Health Asks for Mandatory Labeling Canadian Minister of Health Allan Rock says mandatory labeling of all genetically engineered foods imported or produced in Canada is necessary to respond to consumers' increasing demand to know what is in the food they eat. Although a national task force recommended in August that the federal government allow voluntary labeling of genetically modified foods, Mr. Rock said that Canada should instead be following the European model of imposing mandatory regulations. "We should be looking at the question of mandatory labeling," he told the National Post. "The bottom line is consumers want to have the information and they want to have a choice and to understand what they are eating. I think any government should facilitate that." He went on to say, "It is about time government caught up to the will of Canadians to be reasonably informed about what they are putting in their bodies. There is a strong public interest." Mr. Rock intends to ask the House of Commons health committee to begin a comprehensive study of the issue, despite strong resistance to mandatory labeling from the departments of Industry, International Trade and Agriculture. "In Europe, there is a policy that you must label if there is anything genetically modified in the food. In Japan, there are rules coming into effect in January. In Australia and New Zealand, there are rules coming into effect in December of this year, so I think we should take a look at it," he said. "This is an ideal issues for members of Parliament to consult Canadians on -- to bring consumer groups and industry and farmers and scientists in front of a committee, open the curtains, let some light in." Mr. Rock strongly disagreed with industry concerns that if genetically altered foods are labeled, consumers will assume that it is dangerous and not buy the product. "It's about information and choice, and it's time we in Canada got our act together on that."