Reform on animal cloning: Ottawa acted without consulting Quebec

The Quebec Minister of Agriculture, the Bloc Québécois and the Union of Agricultural Producers are asking Health Canada to suspend its reform on animal cloning, which was carried out without consulting them. Ottawa wants to remove the obligation to declare and assess the risks posed by meat resulting from the cloning of beef and pigs.

The federal government is expected to consult Quebec and partners on such an important subject.writes the office of Quebec Minister of Agriculture André Lamontagne to Radio-Canada. Consumer confidence is at stake.

We hope that Health Canada will be able to review its work plan in order to consider all stakeholders in its process.

The Bloc Québécois spokesperson for agriculture, Yves Perron, cannot believe thatOttawa is, once again, proceeding with the greatest discretion to announce major changes.

Last summer, it was the withdrawal of the obligation to declare new forms of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), at the request of the industry, which caused controversy.

How can we deregulate the control of animal cloning without consulting agricultural producers? Seriously! It’s a republic of bananas.

The Food Processing Council of Quebec learned of the existence of the reform project on Wednesday, a month after the end of the public consultation. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture was informed of this on Thursday by the Bloc Québécois.

Yves Perron is concerned about food traceability and exports to countries that prohibit the cloning of farm animals, such as those in the European Union. Who do we work for? Why do we do this? he asks. Radio-Canada asked Health Canada the question to find out the origin of this reform, but the response is slow in coming.

Ottawa ensures that foods from cloned animals are just as healthy and safe as traditional foods. Cloning makes it possible to disseminate the genetic heritage of more robust animals.

However, studies raise concerns about the health of cloned animals, if only from an ethical point of view.

Producers and consumers perplexed

At the Atwater market, the manager of the Saint-Vincent butcher shop, Danny Desforges-Dodge, wonders: At this point, it’s a copy. We don’t know what it is anymore… It’s chemical, it’s scientific.

The butcher takes pride in offering certified organic meats and anticipates his customers’ questions.

We feel like we’re going to be asked even more questions and it could be complicated, frankly.

I’m not sure, unless someone shows me that it’s really good and with such attractive prices.reacts a clientele of the butcher shop.

It’s certain that we can’t stop progress, that’s for sure. But personally, I like nature bettersays another customer.

At the Brovin farm in Saint-Hyacinthe, where calves are raised, co-owner Caroline Brodeur says she neither for nor against. What matters, according to her, is animal welfare, the way the animal will be fed.

The breeder doesn’t plan on cloning anytime soon, but she admits that it could give consumers more options.

Maybe this will open the door to a new, more affordable meat niche.believes her partner, Vincent Deslauriers. At that point, it will be up to the consumer to determine.

With the collaboration of Kim Vermette and Gabrielle Proulx