In January 2006, a consensus emerged among participants that new momentum and resources were needed in the movement against genetic engineering in Canada. We agreed to create CBAN to assist research and monitoring, support grassroots action and coordinate action at the national and international levels.

CBAN demonstrated the value and power of our new, strengthened collaboration when in March 2006 we thwarted Canadian Government’s attempt to lift the international moratorium on Terminator seeds. And in October 2006, CBAN held its first annual Annual General Meeting in Vancouver.

Today, CBAN is coordinating the national Ban Terminator Campaign and is building capacity to take on other critical issues such as GE Trees and to become a resource on GE issues for all Canadians.

Thanks to the support of scores of individuals and many dedicated organizations, CBAN analyses the implications of new technologies while keeping a critical eye on government regulation and corporate activities. CBAN invites you to take action with us.

Major Accomplishments:

Bovine Growth Hormone: Health Canada Denies Monsanto Approval 1999

In 2004, after 10 years of protest from groups across Canada led by CBAN Members the National Farmers Union and The Council of Canadians, the Government of Canada denied approval for Monsanto’s genetically engineered drug to make dairy cows produce more milk.

For the full story:
“No to BGH: Ten Years of Resistance”, Lucy Sharratt in Redesigning Life?: The Worldwide Challenge to Genetic Engineering, ed. Brian Tokar, Zed Books, 2001.

Genetically Engineered Wheat: Monsanto Withdraws Application for Approval 2004

In 2004, after farmers and farm organizations in Canada made it clear that GE wheat would ruin their export markets, and consumers made it clear they did not want to eat Monsanto’s herbicide resistant wheat, Monsanto wisely chose to withdraw its application.

For the full story and updates: www.cban.ca/GEwheat

Terminator Seeds: International Moratorium Maintained, March 31, 2006

CBAN Members stopped the Canadian Government from trying to overturn the moratorium on Terminator technology at the United Nations. At a major UN meeting in March 2006, CBAN worked closely with the peasant movement Via Campesina and groups and movements from around the world in the International Ban Terminator Campaign.

For the full story and updates: www.cban.ca/terminator or
www.banterminator.org

2007 Accomplishments

Ban Terminator Campaign

Action: CBAN mobilized national grassroots action and implemented a campaign action plan to pressure Members of Parliament to ban Terminator technology (seeds genetically engineered to be sterile after first harvest).

Result: The introduction of a Private Members Bill to ban Terminator Technology.

“Seed Modernization”

Action: CBAN worked with Members led by the National Farmers Union to make farmers and organizations aware of government “consultations” to change seed regulations in Canada, produced a guide to participating and mobilized resistance.

Result: Major farmer participation and a twice-extended consultation deadline: consultation results pending.

“Green Revolution, Whose Revolution?”

Action: CBAN and its Members USC Canada, Inter Pares, National Farmers Union and Union Paysanne, with Supporter ETC Group, organized major public events, meetings with government departments and African country diplomats, and an all-day Network-to-Network exchange betweem CBAN and leaders from the West African peasant movement coalition COPAGEN.

Result: A groundbreaking dialogue between African farmer organizations and the Gates/Rockefeller Foundations Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA) which is funding the introduction of new agricultural technologies in Africa.