Write the Minister of the Environment

Environment Canada refuses to tell Canadians if it is reviewing a request from the US company AquaBounty to approve their GM salmon - the company wants to produce GM salmon eggs on PEI. But the production of GM salmon or GM salmon eggs is extremely risky - there will always be the danger of escape into the wild.

Currently, AquaBounty says it wants to produce GM salmon eggs on PEI, ship them to Panama for growing out and processing, to send into the US consumer market but they also say they will expand production to other countries.

Write to the Minister of the Environment, Hon. Peter Kent, today and ask him to halt any assessment of GM fish. Just fill out the form below to send your letter instantly - feel free to customize your letter.

Your letter will also be automatically sent to:

Hon. Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Megan Leslie, NDP Environment Critic
Fin Donnelly, NDP Fisheries Critic
Rodger Cuzner, Liberal Party Fisheries Critic
Elizabeth May, Leader, Green Party

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Dear Minister Kent,

I am writing to express my deepest concern about the environmental risks of genetically modified (GM) fish and the possibility that Environment Canada may already be considering approval for the production of dangerous GM Atlantic salmon eggs.

The US company AquaBounty revealed that, if its GM salmon is approved for human consumption in the US, it plans to produce all the GE salmon eggs on Prince Edward Island and then ship the eggs to Panama for growing out and processing. This plan is extremely risky for Canada and the rest of the world.

Approving GM animals, including fish, is a new role for Environment Canada and the existing process and regulation is not adequate for this dangerous and controversial technology. Yet, Environment Canada has already approved the confined reproduction of a genetically modified pig, the so-called "Enviropig" from the University of Guelph. Please make sure that Environment Canada does not approve the production of GM fish or GM fish eggs.

I am alarmed that the entire process for assessing environmental risk is secret and would only take 120 days. The public has no chance to be involved or be consulted and there is no role for independent scientists. Environment Canada is refusing to even say if it has begun an environmental assessment of GM salmon – I would only find out once a final decision is made. This secretive process is unacceptable. Please also make it mandatory for all departments to notify the public when they are assessing GM organisms for approval.

Additionally, AquaBounty plans to ship GM salmon eggs from PEI to Panama, but Canada has not even ratified the United Nations Protocol on Biosafety which regulates the international movement of Living Modified Organisms.

Canada has an international responsibility to stop living pollution. Please instruct Environment Canada to reject any request to approve production of GM salmon or salmon eggs. The risk to Atlantic salmon is too great.

I urge you to take immediate action to stop GM salmon in order to protect wild Atlantic salmon.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent issue. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

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