The Council of Canadians Comox Valley chapter hosted a public forum in Courtenay last night featuring Dr. Shiv Chopra speaking on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and its potential impacts on the Food and Drugs Act.
The Comox Valley Record had previously reported, “Canadian scientist and former Health Canada regulator Dr. Shiv Chopra knows better than anyone that not all science is equal. And now, the 81-year-old is in for the fight of his life as he joins the groundswell of voices calling on governments to reject the TPP. The public is invited to a forum about local food production, food safety and food quality on Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in the Rotary Hall of the Filberg Centre. Sponsored by Comox Valley Council of Canadians and GE Free Comox Valley, this public forum is part of a national tour by Dr. Shiv Chopra and will include Jan Slomp, president of the National Farmers Union.”
Chapter activist Alice de Wolff tells us, “We had a successful event last evening in Courtenay! Dr Chopra was reminded that this was where the five pillars of food safety first occurred to him, and many people here were very happy to see him again. Jan Slomp is new to this community and was welcomed with warmth and interest. I presented an overview of the TPP itself and Arzeena Hamir, a local farmer and farmers market organizer, offered a gracious summary and thanks to the speakers. 75 people attended the forum. Petitions were signed, DVDs purchased, and promises were made that people would write letters about the TPP.”
The Comox Valley Record article has noted, “Both Chopra and Slomp are concerned that the TPP threatens our current health and safety protections and has the potential to hurt the quality of Canadian food. In particular, the deal allows foreign milk products to cross the border, with no provisions to monitor or stop bovine growth hormone (BGH), legal in the United States, from entering our milk supply. There are myriad other ways that we may be required to ‘harmonize’ our food and health standards with those of our trading partners. Current standards may become simply unenforceable.”
To watch a 90-minute video of yesterday’s public forum, please click here.
Council of Canadians chapters will also be hosting Dr. Chopra in:
Nanaimo (Mid-Island) – April 8
Victoria – April 10
Ladner (Delta-Richmond) – April 12
Chilliwack – April 14
Guelph – April 27
Windsor – May 14
London – May 31
The Council of Canadians is also supporting Dr. Chopra’s tour in:
Duncan – April 9
Langley – April 13
Vancouver – April 16
In addition, Council of Canadians trade campaigner Sujata Dey spoke alongside Dr. Chopra at a public event in Ottawa on March 10.
For more on these dates, please click here.
To sign our petition opposing the TPP and BGH, please click here.