Unlabelled: Law, Language, and Genetically Modified Foods in Canada

Abstract

Elliott reviews Canada's Supreme Court ruling over Monsanto Canada versus Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser and explores the legal, policy, and communication issues of labelling genetically modified food products in Canada. The Court found Schmeiser guilty of violating Monsanto's patent. The Monsanto case provides an excellent segue into labelling because these two puzzles, the Canola case and the labelling of genetically modified foods, stand as some of the most contentious and profiled topics related to genetically modified food and feed within Canada.