Springwater News • Aug 1, 2013 Edition 396 • E-mail: springwaternews@rogers.com • www.springwaternews.ca
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GMW: 93% of Americans want GM labeling - new poll
Americans overwhelmingly support labeling foods that have been genetically modified or engineered, according to a New York Times poll conducted this year, with 93 percent of respondents saying that foods containing such ingredients should be identified. Three-quarters of Americans expressed concern about genetically modified organisms in their food, with most of them worried about the effects on people’s health. Thirty-seven percent of those worried about G.M.O.’s said they feared that such foods cause cancer or allergies, although scientific studies continue to show that there is no added risk. Among those with concerns, 26 percent said these foods are not safe to eat, or are toxic, while 13 percent were worried about environmental problems that they fear might be caused by genetic engineering. Nearly half of Americans said they were aware that a large amount of the processed or packaged foods they now buy at the grocery store contains genetically modified ingredients. And although just a handful of G.M.O. crops
are on the market, about 4 in 10 respondents said they thought that most or a lot of their fruits and vegetables were genetically modified. Overall concern was higher among women than men, perhaps not surprisingly, as more women identify themselves as the principal grocery shopper in the household. Americans were almost equally divided about eating genetically modified vegetables, fruits and grains, with about half saying they would not eat them. They were even less comfortable about eating meat from genetically engineered animals: three-quarters said they would not eat G.M.O. fish, and about two-thirds said they would not eat meat that had been modified. The national telephone poll was conducted from Jan. 24 to 27 with 1,052 adults and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Crushed Gravel, Backhoe, Bulldozing, Water Hauling, Screened Top Soil, Custom Crushing
RVH offers virtual online tour for moms-to-be
Ken Truax
Construction Ltd. Waverley, Ontario R.R. 3, Elmvale, Ontario 705-322-1881
CCA, coalition, seek preliminary injunction in COOL case
July 26, 2013 - Calgary, AB – The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), as part of a coalition of meat and livestock organizations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, filed a motion with the U.S. District Court yesterday seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent implementation of the recently amended U.S. mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulation pending resolution of the coalition lawsuit filed July 8. The coalition lawsuit asks the court to strike down the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) May 23 revision to the COOL regulation while the preliminary injunction motion seeks to block implementation of the COOL regulation pending resolution of the lawsuit. Both the lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction were filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The coalition expects that the preliminary injunction motion, filed late Thursday, will be considered within weeks, although there is no specific timeline. The CCA is confident that the motion will be successful as it more than meets all requirements set out under U.S. law. The preliminary injunction motion argues that if the May 23 rule were to be enforced as USDA plans to do in November, it would cause irreparable harm to the U.S. meat and livestock industry and is not in the public interest. “The CCA along with these groups and through other actions will continue to turn up the heat on USDA to get the COOL dispute resolved,” said CCA President Martin Unrau. “While this lawsuit and preliminary injunction have the potential to bring down COOL, ultimately, we would be satisfied if the U.S. Congress would pass an amendment to the m-COOL legislation to eliminate the discrimination on imported livestock and meat.” The coalition gained another member this week as Mexico’s National Confederation of Livestock Organizations joined the lawsuit. Mexico joins plaintiffs the American Association of Meat Processors, American Meat Institute, CCA, Canadian Pork Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, North American Meat Association, and Southwest Meat Association. The coalition lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction are the latest efforts to get the COOL issue resolved. Last month, the Government of Canada released a list of U.S. commodities that could be targeted for retaliation in relation to the COOL dispute. The Government of Canada has said it could seek retaliatory compensation of approximately $1.1 billion following the completion of ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) proceedings, which will move forward independently of this U.S. based litigation. “CCA is encouraging the Government of Canada to seek authorization to implement those tariffs by obtaining a WTO ruling that the U.S. has not complied with the WTO dispute panel decision that COOL causes discrimination against imported cattle in the U.S. marketplace,” Unrau said. The CCA's position remains that the only outcome that would bring the U.S. into compliance with the WTO ruling of July 2012, which found that COOL violates the U.S.’s WTO obligations, is to amend the COOL legislation to allow either a single mandatory label for all meat produced in the U.S. or to allow for voluntary labelling. The CCA has to date spent in excess of $2 million in legal and advocacy expenses to fight COOL.
Meilun & Meilun Denturists
Are you satisfied with the look & feel of your dentures? At Meilun & Meilun, we provide high quality service directly to the public, specializing in customized dentures that fit well and recreate the character of your natural smile. Complete & Partial Dentures Implant Retained & Surgical Appliances Same Day Reline & Repair Services Consultations are free. Avoid the inconvenience of downtown parking. Make the decision you’ll be comfortable with. Visit us at our Cedar Pointe office.
The baby business is booming at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH). Last year, more than 1700 babies made their debut and with just as many expectant mothers walking through the doors of the health centre this year, not all are able to book a tour of RVH’s Birthing Unit due to limited availability or busy schedules. To assist with the high demand for tours, the Birthing Unit now offers an online virtual tour for those would prefer to take the tour from the comfort of their home. The short presentation shows moms-to-be where to come in the health centre depending on what time of day they go in to labour; how to get to the Birthing Unit; what Birthing Rooms look like as well as what they should or shouldn’t bring with them. “By offering virtual tours, we can educate and prepare more expectant mothers as to anticipate when they go in to labour and come to the health centre,” says Karen Fleming, Program Director, Maternal/Child/Youth & Interprofessional Practice. “Seeing the surroundings ahead of time, knowing how to come in to the building and what to bring definitely eases any anxiety a mom-to-be may have and now we can provide that service either through a guided tour or online.” Parents-to-be who wish to take part in an onsite tour can register by calling 728-9090 x 47160 between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Registration is required to attend the tour and will be booked on a first come first served basis. As part of RVH’s ongoing commitment to deliver high quality, patient-centred care, it’s important to ensure that a patient’s experience is the best it can be – including what happens before they enter the health centre. The new virtual tour is now available on the RVH website (www.rvh.on.ca/birthingunittour.aspx).
Office: 705.526.4100 Toll Free: 1.888.526.4101
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Weak jobs market for youth is hurting parents, too
Today’s weak labour market for youth is not only hurting young Canadians. It’s also taking a financial toll on their middle class parents. There are still 200,000 fewer jobs for young Canadians than before the recession. According to TD Bank, young Canadians are not only losing out today, they also face lower wages for more than a decade as they try to catch up on missed work experience. A growing number of twenty-somethings are now competing for unpaid internships in an attempt to get ahead. While job prospects for young Canadians have deteriorated, the price of everything from tuition, rent and groceries has gone up. Yet student debt levels have remained relatively constant. So who is picking up the tab? It’s middle class parents – and in some cases, grandparents – who are stepping in to financially support their adult children. According to TD, more than half of baby boom parents have continued to financially support their adult children, even after they leave school. 43% let their adult children live at home rent-free. Many Canadians were struggling to make ends meet even before their children boomeranged home. Now parents are taking out personal lines of credit and delaying their retirement plans to help their adult children. Instead of listening to Canadians on this issue, the Harper Conservatives have cut the number of youth jobs in the Canada Summer Jobs Program by more than half, and frozen the skills training budget at 2008 (pre-recession) levels without allowing for either inflation or population growth. It’s time for the federal government to recognize the depth of the problem, help young Canadians and give their middle class parents a break. Scott Brison, MP Liberal Finance Critic 613-995-8231
9:00 am - 5:30 pm Evenings & Saturday by appointment.
34 Cedar Pointe Drive, Unit #510, Barrie
(705) 728-6810 Members of Denturist Association of Ontario
rabrv@sympatico.ca
The Tall Ships are Coming
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, tall ships are visiting ports around the Great Lakes. Midland and Penetanguishine will host some of the ships and crews on August 24 and 25 The ships will include the Pride of Baltimore, Fair Jeannie, Peacemaker and the Unicorn, The Niagara, HMS Badger, NMS Lynx and the Madeliene. Passes are available for purchase to tour the ships. There are many other events during the weekend for family fun. More info: www.1812bicenntenial.com Pictured here is the Unicorn, with an all-female crew. The ship is Holland-built, in 1947, from metals from salvaged German U-boats.
Excitement Brewing for Ontario Craft Beers
Ontario is providing small craft brewers with renewed support by extending the Ontario Microbrewery Strategy for two more years to help create jobs and expand the industry. Through the Ontario Microbrewery Strategy, the province is helping small brewers explore new marketing, training and tourism development opportunities. Craft beer is a growing and important industry in Ontario, employing more than 650 people in direct brewery jobs at 47 microbreweries. Support through Ontario's Microbrewery Strategy also helps create indirect jobs in Ontario's agriculture and hospitality sectors. Providing the right climate to attract investment, create jobs and grow the economy is part of the new Ontario government's plan to build a prosperous and fair province. Quick Facts The province is renewing the Ontario Microbrewery Strategy for $1.2 million in annual funding from 2014– 2016. The Ontario Craft Brewers help implement the microbrewery strategy by working to raise awareness of locally-made lagers, ales, pilsners, porters and stouts. Ontario’s craft brewers are the largest purchaser of Ontario-grown hops. In 2012, Niagara College offered Canada’s first Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program — everyone in the first graduating class got industry jobs. Ontario craft brewers produce over 140 international beer styles and have won hundreds of medals in major national and international competitions. In 2012, Ontario’s craft beers led LCBO sales in all categories, including wine and spirits, with nearly 45 per cent sales growth.