Pretense of Protection

Guest post by Deb Prothero

Pretense of Protection

Since the federal election campaign appears to have started (I received another flyer from our MP, paid for by taxpayers), hopefully the St. Thomas Times Journal is anxious to print more letters refuting the lies contained therein. Although I do recall that there is a one-per-month editorial letter policy so they may not take this up for awhile.

The flyer (paid for by taxpayers) from our local MP that I received last week, says “To keep Canadians safe from shoddy and tainted products, the Conservative Government knows we all must work together.” Why then are they cancelling the funding for BSE testing of all Canadian beef?

Together we Canadians have worked together to try to save the beef industry after the import ban imposed by many countries in 2003. Some of us bought more local beef, paid taxes for some relief programs and the farmers were forced to drastically reduce their beef herds during the crisis. The farmers also worked really hard to develop reliable testing so that Canadian beef would be trusted again. That’s called working together and the world has taken notice by allowing imports of Canadian beef now.

But this Conservative government intends to remove the testing so we won’t know if or when there is any BSE. It’s called the Texan shut up and shovel method of damage control.

The implication through photos on the flyer is that by banning the use of plastic baby bottles containing BPA, the Conservative government is “helping ensure your child’s safety”. But what of the cans of soup and beer and those dental implants which are also lined with the same BPA plastic?

Scientists throughout Europe, Japan and the United States have investigated BPA and have determined that the BPA scare in Canada is based on “a speculative field of scientific research built around the theory of endocrine disruption theory.” In other words, the “precautionary principle” is rampant in Ottawa.

When the Conservatives take the side of speculative science to frighten Canadians, I wonder about their motives. Do they want to pretend to protect us or are they really actually going to do it? Do they believe in science or only in some science? What of climate change science or is that the wrong kind of science – the consensus variety?

When the world wide scientific consensus on BPA indicates that it is safe and the experiments indicating minute potential risk cannot be duplicated, it appears the Conservatives are latching onto a pretend issue to pretend to protect children (and possibly get votes from mothers – say it isn’t so!). Otherwise, if their belief is that the science is real and they’re not just trying to get votes for pretentious pretending policy, then they would also ban the use of BPA in cans of soup and beer and dental plastics, wouldn’t they? Or are voters who use soup, beer and dental plastics expendable?

I’m not entirely reassured by the flyer’s assertion that “new powers to pull unsafe products from store shelves.” The Conservative government intends to leave meat and food inspection up to the corporations instead of independent or government inspectors.

I fully expect to receive another 10% flyer (paid for by taxpayers) explaining to Canadians (or at least Elgin-Middlesex-London voters) that the hamburger company supplying the Wendy’s restaurant will be deciding what is fit for human consumption, and how that’s a good thing brought to you by the Conservative government. Given the local meat inspection scandals and cancellation of BSE testing, I can’t say I’m reassured.

And finally, the Conservative government says it is “cracking down on manufacturers and importers of dangerous products.” Umm, didn't we have to return pet food and lead painted toys recently? This flyer was received in the same week that Niagara farmers are pulling up their peach trees because they can’t compete with canned peaches from China. If the peaches from China become known as a dangerous product or they come in cans lined with BPA that becomes banned, and there are no more Canadian peaches, will peaches become extinct?

Imagine a future generation of Canadians denied that particular sweet, fuzzy treat of summer! And all because this Conservative government wants to pretend to protect you and yours without actually doing it.