I'm not sure exactly what is going on. I can definitely feel the changes that are happening in my body. I think my body has had a delayed reaction to my diet adjustment. I have been so emotional the last few days. I sobbed through my whole weekend. I was feeling a bit better but now I'm emotional all over again. I feel like I need a really good cry. Maybe it's part of the detoxification process.
I have put on 5 lbs... how the heck does that even happen? My body must be freaking out. I've been drinking lots of water. I've been eating breakfast every morning, lunch & dinner (and healthy snacks). I've tried to be diligent in my exercise, I've danced twice this week and I plan on going to Yoga tomorrow. Perhaps it's just the adjustment period. I've been so careful about my eating. The only thing I can think of is the bread from work. I know I can eat that so I usually get a couple slices with my lunch to help fill me up. I haven't hit the wall with exhaustion yet, apparently you get really tired but I haven't felt it. I have been going to dance since the first day. I did have a day that I felt really tired, that was the day I forgot to take my B Complex & Flora so I chalked it up to the lack of vitamins.
I have been making my own soy milk, it's getting good! I did a soy/almond combo last time with a couple slices of ginger...YUM! I've been eating Highwood Crossing granola (from bulk - see Co-Op believe it or not...) with apple and my soy for breakfast. I usually have a bowl of quinoa salad at work - I have a litre of our salad at work sans feta - and then usually a greens salad and hummus (sometimes with veg) or stew or lentils for lunch, and soup, stew or whatever for dinner. Perhaps more veg. That's a lot of starch.
Alright so more veg, I don't always love cooked veg so I have to get creative with fresh veg. I have started shoving greens in other items such as the quinoa salad, or kale in stew etc. That counts right? I feel like I'm cheating when I find dishes that I can somehow disguise greens into. I prefer the greens that way and that makes me feel as though I am doing something I oughtn't.
I had my first dine out in a restaurant that was not my workplace. Although I can not be sure about the packaging it was otherwise delightful! It was Indian and delish! I had dahl, rice, pakoras, chickpeas (channa) and roti...wow... starch, starch, starch. It was still really awesome though. How do you avoid this starch on starch if you don't eat meat? Does the formerly called "starch" become a protein? Hmm I suspect not. So overarching theme is more vegetables. I'll work on that.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Proof of God
For Lent I decided that I was going to read a mentally and spiritually stimulating book. I chose to read The Mountain of Silence: A Search for Orthodox Spirituality by Kyriacos C. Markides. I have had this book on my shelf for about two and a half years now, and I have been wanting to read it. I thought Lent was a good opportunity to get in touch with my Orthodox side.
Ben and I have a friend from college who took a course of which this text was the required reading. I remember how deeply it affected him and now being fifty pages in I am starting to see why.
The coles notes version behind the story is as follows. A born and raised Greek Orthodox man turns agnostic upon moving to the States, seeing the religious freedom, and assuming his faith was a product of the society he was raised in. He feels that there is a juxtaposition to having a faith and being and intellectual. He becomes an assistant professor of sociology and one of his colleagues introduces him to the thought of the East and yogi tradition of India. This begins Markides' realization that being religous and an intellectual are not mutually exclusive. Delving into the world of Transcendental Meditaion, experiencing mystical occurrences, and living in a village with a shaman for ten years doing field research in the lives of the peoples stretch Markides to alter his views on religion. During his stay in the village he witnessed many "miracles" such as the healing of a paralyzed woman, of which he nor doctors could explain. Markides' "change of heart about organized religion came with an invitation to go on a pilgrimage."(5) He acompanied a friend to a monastary on a "Holy Mountain" where he met Father Maximos. Markides later went to spend time with Father Maximos who had offered to mentor him. The novel is a series of discussions that he and the Father had.
My reading today was a discussion between Markides and Father Maximos on the proof of God. This was a challenging read. Father Maximos explains that "we would be utterly misguided if we believed in a God for whom there was no evidence of existence, a God that was utterly beyond our grasp, a God that remained silent, never communicating with us in any real and tangible way."(44) This is what humanity has searched for for thousands of years... how does this pious monk have the proof of the existence of God?
Father Maximos and Markides discuss Aristotle and his proof of God theory that there must be an "'unmover Mover' a primal cause that set everything into motion."(42) I seem to remember finding peace and solace in this train of thought in philosophy class so long ago. In a world where logical reasoning can spin you in circles it was something that I could hold on to. This was a train of thought in which gave me rest that there was a seemingly logical train of thought to the proof of God. This idea which Maximos shortly discredits as being an illogical way to prove such a thing. He argues that using our own logic to prove the existence of God is using the wrong medium to find such an answer. God must be experienced as opposed to discussed. (43) I do not believe that Maximos is saying discussing God's existence is ineffective, only that trying to prove his existence through reason is. He states that "Logic and reason cannot investigate and know that which is beyond logic and reason."(43) I believe that I have a cognitive understanding of this to a certain degree. I understand that there are things I know and feel that do not seem to have a rational logic behind them. Like the fact that I know there is a God. How? The cliche answer is that I feel it.
There have been times in my life where in the midst of a situation I have clearly felt the peace of God. Like the day my only sibling and brother died. This peace of God does not mean that my legs did not give way under me upon hearing the news of his motorcycle accident, nor does it mean I did not cry for days, weeks, or years even. It does mean however, that in the first moments of this tragedy that would change my life forever I immediately felt God communicating that it will be OK. He was not going to abandon me, He was bigger than this, and He could bring me joy once again. One of the first things I wanted to do was pray. I have since felt angry about the death of my brother, angry at my brother for leaving me alone, and angry at God, but somehow through all of it I never blamed God for "killing my brother." I always had a sense of His aching heart for what we were going through. I never had the feeling that He did it for some sadistic payback for some wrong doing. So in a sense I do know that logic and reason cannot explain God.
Maximos goes even further to suggest that we can prove the existence of God through experience. We can reach out and touch him and experience him first hand. He explains that a persons heart is the center of their "beingness, of our personhood. It is therefore through the heart that God reveals Himself to humanity." He explains that the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle may be great they are not the accurate path to revelation in God. "It is only cleanliness and purity of the heart that can lead to the contemplation and vision of God." Maximos then refers to Matthew 5:8 (NIV) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." He explains that the proper methodology must be employed, and the purification of the heart from "egotistical passions and impurities" is required to investigate whether or not God exists. (44) It is only through this purification and humility that we are able to see and experience God fully.
"Whatever existential angst human beings may suffer from comes to an end once God manifests Himself in their hearts. Any Doubts, questions, philosophical dilemmas, and puzzelment about God's existence that are 'natural to the fallen state' simply evaporate with such direct contact."(47) Maximos explains that once a person has achieved pureheartedness, one can then experience the transformation of the heart through conscious prayer and spiritual practices. (47) It is only through the act of doing that one can fairly make a judgment as to whether or not God truly exists.
I believe that I have limited experience with this, I have a conviction that God exists and of His love for me. I understand that His grace is cleansing and covers all, that I have access to the Father anytime because of the sacrifice He has given for us. However, experiencing a life complete in a passionate and cyclical love with God I'm not sure is something I have fully experienced. To experience numbing and overwhelming love to the point that you can not take any more, and it is then turned into an outpouring of love unto others, is not something I can say I experience regularly.
Though I have just skimmed the surface of the conversation in the book, this concept is incredible, life changing even. Not because I can "prove" the existence of God but because I can experience God in this way. This is something that I have access to. Can you imagine if we could truly grasp this concept? Father Maximos discusses this with Markides as though anyone can just jump in and experience this kind of love and suggests that if we are not we are only experiencing an ideological faith. He claims that we must ask questions and seek the Truth. "Don't you think we would be utterly misguided...if we believed in a God for whom there was no evidence of existence, a God that was utterly beyond our grasp, a God that remained silent, never communicating with us in any real and tangible way?"(44) Yes! This seemed so clear!
I know that scripture claims that we can have intimate experiences with God but for some reason there is always this little lie in the back of your head that perhaps other people have been able to attain such experiences but it must take someone especially pious to share in an experience such as this. That is not true. In my quest for truth I have to figure out a way to claim this for myself. Grace, seems to be a major foundation stone to this. Our direct line to this love, confidence and freedom.
Food for thought...
Ben and I have a friend from college who took a course of which this text was the required reading. I remember how deeply it affected him and now being fifty pages in I am starting to see why.
The coles notes version behind the story is as follows. A born and raised Greek Orthodox man turns agnostic upon moving to the States, seeing the religious freedom, and assuming his faith was a product of the society he was raised in. He feels that there is a juxtaposition to having a faith and being and intellectual. He becomes an assistant professor of sociology and one of his colleagues introduces him to the thought of the East and yogi tradition of India. This begins Markides' realization that being religous and an intellectual are not mutually exclusive. Delving into the world of Transcendental Meditaion, experiencing mystical occurrences, and living in a village with a shaman for ten years doing field research in the lives of the peoples stretch Markides to alter his views on religion. During his stay in the village he witnessed many "miracles" such as the healing of a paralyzed woman, of which he nor doctors could explain. Markides' "change of heart about organized religion came with an invitation to go on a pilgrimage."(5) He acompanied a friend to a monastary on a "Holy Mountain" where he met Father Maximos. Markides later went to spend time with Father Maximos who had offered to mentor him. The novel is a series of discussions that he and the Father had.
My reading today was a discussion between Markides and Father Maximos on the proof of God. This was a challenging read. Father Maximos explains that "we would be utterly misguided if we believed in a God for whom there was no evidence of existence, a God that was utterly beyond our grasp, a God that remained silent, never communicating with us in any real and tangible way."(44) This is what humanity has searched for for thousands of years... how does this pious monk have the proof of the existence of God?
Father Maximos and Markides discuss Aristotle and his proof of God theory that there must be an "'unmover Mover' a primal cause that set everything into motion."(42) I seem to remember finding peace and solace in this train of thought in philosophy class so long ago. In a world where logical reasoning can spin you in circles it was something that I could hold on to. This was a train of thought in which gave me rest that there was a seemingly logical train of thought to the proof of God. This idea which Maximos shortly discredits as being an illogical way to prove such a thing. He argues that using our own logic to prove the existence of God is using the wrong medium to find such an answer. God must be experienced as opposed to discussed. (43) I do not believe that Maximos is saying discussing God's existence is ineffective, only that trying to prove his existence through reason is. He states that "Logic and reason cannot investigate and know that which is beyond logic and reason."(43) I believe that I have a cognitive understanding of this to a certain degree. I understand that there are things I know and feel that do not seem to have a rational logic behind them. Like the fact that I know there is a God. How? The cliche answer is that I feel it.
There have been times in my life where in the midst of a situation I have clearly felt the peace of God. Like the day my only sibling and brother died. This peace of God does not mean that my legs did not give way under me upon hearing the news of his motorcycle accident, nor does it mean I did not cry for days, weeks, or years even. It does mean however, that in the first moments of this tragedy that would change my life forever I immediately felt God communicating that it will be OK. He was not going to abandon me, He was bigger than this, and He could bring me joy once again. One of the first things I wanted to do was pray. I have since felt angry about the death of my brother, angry at my brother for leaving me alone, and angry at God, but somehow through all of it I never blamed God for "killing my brother." I always had a sense of His aching heart for what we were going through. I never had the feeling that He did it for some sadistic payback for some wrong doing. So in a sense I do know that logic and reason cannot explain God.
Maximos goes even further to suggest that we can prove the existence of God through experience. We can reach out and touch him and experience him first hand. He explains that a persons heart is the center of their "beingness, of our personhood. It is therefore through the heart that God reveals Himself to humanity." He explains that the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle may be great they are not the accurate path to revelation in God. "It is only cleanliness and purity of the heart that can lead to the contemplation and vision of God." Maximos then refers to Matthew 5:8 (NIV) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." He explains that the proper methodology must be employed, and the purification of the heart from "egotistical passions and impurities" is required to investigate whether or not God exists. (44) It is only through this purification and humility that we are able to see and experience God fully.
"Whatever existential angst human beings may suffer from comes to an end once God manifests Himself in their hearts. Any Doubts, questions, philosophical dilemmas, and puzzelment about God's existence that are 'natural to the fallen state' simply evaporate with such direct contact."(47) Maximos explains that once a person has achieved pureheartedness, one can then experience the transformation of the heart through conscious prayer and spiritual practices. (47) It is only through the act of doing that one can fairly make a judgment as to whether or not God truly exists.
I believe that I have limited experience with this, I have a conviction that God exists and of His love for me. I understand that His grace is cleansing and covers all, that I have access to the Father anytime because of the sacrifice He has given for us. However, experiencing a life complete in a passionate and cyclical love with God I'm not sure is something I have fully experienced. To experience numbing and overwhelming love to the point that you can not take any more, and it is then turned into an outpouring of love unto others, is not something I can say I experience regularly.
Though I have just skimmed the surface of the conversation in the book, this concept is incredible, life changing even. Not because I can "prove" the existence of God but because I can experience God in this way. This is something that I have access to. Can you imagine if we could truly grasp this concept? Father Maximos discusses this with Markides as though anyone can just jump in and experience this kind of love and suggests that if we are not we are only experiencing an ideological faith. He claims that we must ask questions and seek the Truth. "Don't you think we would be utterly misguided...if we believed in a God for whom there was no evidence of existence, a God that was utterly beyond our grasp, a God that remained silent, never communicating with us in any real and tangible way?"(44) Yes! This seemed so clear!
I know that scripture claims that we can have intimate experiences with God but for some reason there is always this little lie in the back of your head that perhaps other people have been able to attain such experiences but it must take someone especially pious to share in an experience such as this. That is not true. In my quest for truth I have to figure out a way to claim this for myself. Grace, seems to be a major foundation stone to this. Our direct line to this love, confidence and freedom.
Food for thought...
Friday, March 11, 2011
3 Days Vegan Isn't Bad...
Well things have been fairly good on the food front. It does take a lot more work but I have some wonderful people around me who are looking out for me. My husband is the first one. He graciously has made me 2 batches of soup from wonderful recipes! My co-workers at the restaurant are also great, they sent me home with 2 litres of squash soup today and made me vegan proof meals.
I went to the Calgary Peace Prize dinner last night where Dr. Vandana Shiva was to receive her award. She was sent home due to a visa expiry. Lot's of people pulled many strings to get it to work out but she ended up being sent home on a technicality. They had her visa approved but she had to physically pick it up from the government office but because her visa had expired she could not leave the airport to get it. How frustrating is that? Anyways, we ended up seeing her via Skype. Thank you Skype... It was surprisingly moving even to see her via the make shift skype screen pulled together at the last moment. She is incredible. We also heard a wonderful speech from our wonderful Mayer Nenshi. It was a wonderful experience.
The last few days have been my first days on lent and a few busy days in the social realm. It was someone's last day at work so there was a champagne & cake reception, on our way there we stopped to get her a bottle of wine and were offered a tasting, after that there was the awards dinner with cocktails & wine of course & today was a co workers birthday, she was going for peeking duck... it feel's surprisingly good being able to say no.
I think today was the first day I started to feel tired. I forgot my vitamins this morning so that may have had something to do with it. I got really moody at one point, it was strange. I am eating a lot though so hopefully my energy will keep up.
Day 3 hasn't been too bad overall. I'm feeling some sort of peace, whether it's just the fact that I am exercising self control, morning meditative quiet focus with my Bible, eating well, or all three I am uncertain. It is good though which ever the answer is.
I went to the Calgary Peace Prize dinner last night where Dr. Vandana Shiva was to receive her award. She was sent home due to a visa expiry. Lot's of people pulled many strings to get it to work out but she ended up being sent home on a technicality. They had her visa approved but she had to physically pick it up from the government office but because her visa had expired she could not leave the airport to get it. How frustrating is that? Anyways, we ended up seeing her via Skype. Thank you Skype... It was surprisingly moving even to see her via the make shift skype screen pulled together at the last moment. She is incredible. We also heard a wonderful speech from our wonderful Mayer Nenshi. It was a wonderful experience.
The last few days have been my first days on lent and a few busy days in the social realm. It was someone's last day at work so there was a champagne & cake reception, on our way there we stopped to get her a bottle of wine and were offered a tasting, after that there was the awards dinner with cocktails & wine of course & today was a co workers birthday, she was going for peeking duck... it feel's surprisingly good being able to say no.
I think today was the first day I started to feel tired. I forgot my vitamins this morning so that may have had something to do with it. I got really moody at one point, it was strange. I am eating a lot though so hopefully my energy will keep up.
Day 3 hasn't been too bad overall. I'm feeling some sort of peace, whether it's just the fact that I am exercising self control, morning meditative quiet focus with my Bible, eating well, or all three I am uncertain. It is good though which ever the answer is.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Shrove Tuesday: The Night Before Lent...
I feel gross. I just had a Shrove feast that consisted of everything I am not going to be consuming for the next 40 days. Meat, dairy, alcohol, and packaged items...that's right packaged items; bulk items are ok.
Ben and I did a huge bulk run today at Community. Some vegetables as well but mostly bulk and some vitamins to help me get through any deficiency in my diet while I adjust. Currently I am soaking some soy beans because I am making my own soy milk tomorrow, I can't buy any because that counts as packaging. Oh and I have to do my weigh in! I almost forgot! I'll do it in the morning when I am not so full of nachos, beer, and pancakes.
I have to admit, I am very excited and a little nervous about the challenge. I really want a transformation inside and out. I want to succeed and complete this. I want to seek truth through this journey and honor my body.
I will use my close friends and family for support and dialogue through this journey. I am eager for it to begin! I am nervous about the first two weeks, apparently that is the hardest part as your body adjusts to everything.
Ben and I did a huge bulk run today at Community. Some vegetables as well but mostly bulk and some vitamins to help me get through any deficiency in my diet while I adjust. Currently I am soaking some soy beans because I am making my own soy milk tomorrow, I can't buy any because that counts as packaging. Oh and I have to do my weigh in! I almost forgot! I'll do it in the morning when I am not so full of nachos, beer, and pancakes.
I have to admit, I am very excited and a little nervous about the challenge. I really want a transformation inside and out. I want to succeed and complete this. I want to seek truth through this journey and honor my body.
I will use my close friends and family for support and dialogue through this journey. I am eager for it to begin! I am nervous about the first two weeks, apparently that is the hardest part as your body adjusts to everything.
GMO's
I have always felt that I needed to protest against something, not for the sake of protesting but to make myself feel as though I cared enough for something to take a stand and take physical action to support something important instead of sitting around and complaining. I always pictured that it would end up being against some super right wing Christian movement or something to that effect. The more I learn about genetic modification the more angry I get. And every time I hear the name Monsanto I want to insert a descriptor before the word to express the loathing I feel for that low-life, greedy, self-serving, near-sighted, unethical...corporation.
Am I coming off too strong or like a bitter hippy?
Bill C-474 was just turned down on Parliament Hill. This bill was designed to protect farmers from the infultration of GM cross contamination as well as to protect the consumer from possible side effects of GM products. The testing at this time is extremely limited and there is no long term results on how this food affects us.
A summary of the Bill from the www.parl.gc.ca states:
"This enactment requires the Governor in Council to amend the Seeds Regulations to require that an analysis of potential harm to export markets be conducted before the sale of any new genetically engineered seed is permitted."
In 2009 there was GM contamination of flax which had been banned from ever being released into the market nearly eight years prior. It was found in baked goods in Germany after testing was done. This immediately ceased all trade with the EU which adds up to 70% of Canada's flax sales. How did this contamination even happen eight years after it was turned down. Since this devistation flax farmers now have to test any flax up to 3 times to enable the safe sale of flax to the EU.
Our government has funded 1.5 million - of our tax money that is - to suppliment some of the cost on these tests that are required.
This is just one example of the waste of money, citizens' hard work and of their lively hood. All because the guys on Parliament Hill are buds with the big wigs at the major corporations involved... sickening.
Another country that has been severely affected is India, the introduction of GM seeds there have been a source of debt, shame, lower yeilds on crops, higher costs on seeds and pesticides, and suicide. Monsanto used Indian gods in their campaign to manipulate the locals, ensuring them that purchasing these seeds is what the gods wanted and that the farmers would become rich as a result. These same farmers are now drinking the same pesticides they are forced to buy to kill themselves. Tens of thousands have killed themselves from the stress of debt incurred, shame and despair.
India's organic coton industry has been infultrated with a GM Cotton
Alfalfa is one of the most important crops we have we use it to feed our livestock & restore soil nutrients. If their was cross contamination of GM alfalfa into our organic agricultural system there is no way to reverse it. Our meat will be contaminated, our dairy etc. Without proper testing on long term effects it is extremely irresponsible, especially when the limited short term tests have had disconcerting results.
"Tests on GM Flavr Savr tomatoes resulted in lesions in rats. Scientists at the US Food and Drug Authority even asked for it not to be approved.
Dr Arpad Pusztai's notorious experiments with GM potatoes and rats showed severe gut problems in the test animals compared to those fed non-GM potatoes. Despite the largely successful attempt to discredit him publicly, Pusztai's paper had been peer reviewed six times prior to publication. Compared to most GM research sponsored by GM companies it remains a model of experimental propriety and credibility.
In GM chicken-feed experiments, twice as many chickens fed GM maize died as those fed the conventional crop. Despite this, the GM maize was approved by the Government but later withdrawn following public pressure."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2003/jun/08/gm.food
Pierre Lemeux (conservative party) claimes that "sound science is necessary" but goes on to refer to the canola seeds that were only tested over 2 years with no conclusive results and then released to the public. The industry has since been severely wounded as a result of the release of GM canola. Since 2005 no canola seed has been sold to the EU, and since 2007 no canola oil sent to EU - Lemeux claims that GE canola has helped the industry.
Monsanto & Bayer both with no market and extreme oposition developed products and attempted to push it on the market. One can only assume that their motivation is not to help the world but to capitalize on poorly tested & developed seeds that are unwanted by the general public.
This is a link to an episode of Deconstructing Dinner where they anaylyze the debate at the house of commons in regards to Bill c-474, a real enlightening listen:
http://hw.libsyn.com/p/3/4/f/34f840f1f6de7a63/DD032510.mp3?sid=0f07d59e82735a3786394773c3409076&l_sid=18105&l_eid=&l_mid=1575438
Am I coming off too strong or like a bitter hippy?
Bill C-474 was just turned down on Parliament Hill. This bill was designed to protect farmers from the infultration of GM cross contamination as well as to protect the consumer from possible side effects of GM products. The testing at this time is extremely limited and there is no long term results on how this food affects us.
A summary of the Bill from the www.parl.gc.ca states:
"This enactment requires the Governor in Council to amend the Seeds Regulations to require that an analysis of potential harm to export markets be conducted before the sale of any new genetically engineered seed is permitted."
In 2009 there was GM contamination of flax which had been banned from ever being released into the market nearly eight years prior. It was found in baked goods in Germany after testing was done. This immediately ceased all trade with the EU which adds up to 70% of Canada's flax sales. How did this contamination even happen eight years after it was turned down. Since this devistation flax farmers now have to test any flax up to 3 times to enable the safe sale of flax to the EU.
Our government has funded 1.5 million - of our tax money that is - to suppliment some of the cost on these tests that are required.
This is just one example of the waste of money, citizens' hard work and of their lively hood. All because the guys on Parliament Hill are buds with the big wigs at the major corporations involved... sickening.
Another country that has been severely affected is India, the introduction of GM seeds there have been a source of debt, shame, lower yeilds on crops, higher costs on seeds and pesticides, and suicide. Monsanto used Indian gods in their campaign to manipulate the locals, ensuring them that purchasing these seeds is what the gods wanted and that the farmers would become rich as a result. These same farmers are now drinking the same pesticides they are forced to buy to kill themselves. Tens of thousands have killed themselves from the stress of debt incurred, shame and despair.
India's organic coton industry has been infultrated with a GM Cotton
Alfalfa is one of the most important crops we have we use it to feed our livestock & restore soil nutrients. If their was cross contamination of GM alfalfa into our organic agricultural system there is no way to reverse it. Our meat will be contaminated, our dairy etc. Without proper testing on long term effects it is extremely irresponsible, especially when the limited short term tests have had disconcerting results.
"Tests on GM Flavr Savr tomatoes resulted in lesions in rats. Scientists at the US Food and Drug Authority even asked for it not to be approved.
Dr Arpad Pusztai's notorious experiments with GM potatoes and rats showed severe gut problems in the test animals compared to those fed non-GM potatoes. Despite the largely successful attempt to discredit him publicly, Pusztai's paper had been peer reviewed six times prior to publication. Compared to most GM research sponsored by GM companies it remains a model of experimental propriety and credibility.
In GM chicken-feed experiments, twice as many chickens fed GM maize died as those fed the conventional crop. Despite this, the GM maize was approved by the Government but later withdrawn following public pressure."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2003/jun/08/gm.food
Pierre Lemeux (conservative party) claimes that "sound science is necessary" but goes on to refer to the canola seeds that were only tested over 2 years with no conclusive results and then released to the public. The industry has since been severely wounded as a result of the release of GM canola. Since 2005 no canola seed has been sold to the EU, and since 2007 no canola oil sent to EU - Lemeux claims that GE canola has helped the industry.
Monsanto & Bayer both with no market and extreme oposition developed products and attempted to push it on the market. One can only assume that their motivation is not to help the world but to capitalize on poorly tested & developed seeds that are unwanted by the general public.
This is a link to an episode of Deconstructing Dinner where they anaylyze the debate at the house of commons in regards to Bill c-474, a real enlightening listen:
http://hw.libsyn.com/p/3/4/f/34f840f1f6de7a63/DD032510.mp3?sid=0f07d59e82735a3786394773c3409076&l_sid=18105&l_eid=&l_mid=1575438
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