The Charlottetown Guardian | November 8, 1999 | Letter to the Editor
Robert K. Bruvels, of Charlottetown writes that on Nov. 3, 1999, an article appeared in your paper ('Consumers' group says altered food labels not answer'). In the article, the Consumers Association of Canada (which as far as I know is supposed to represent the consumer) stated that mandatory food labeling of genetically altered food might not be the answer for Canadians concerned about what they're eating. The CAC in conjunction with a crop growers' coalition further stated labels might confuse consumers instead of arming them with accurate information. To add further insult to this inflammatory rhetoric, Jennifer Hillard, a national vice-president of the association, said a mandatory system could result in labels that declare 'may contain' modified food and that wouldn't help people understand what they're buying. Excuse me! Is this to presuppose that we, the consumer, are ignorant or just plain stupid when it comes to making informed and intelligent decisions? When I see a food label with 'may contain' or 'may or may not contain,' I simply won't buy the product.
That's my choice as a consumer but I most certainly will not retain that choice unless all food products are labeled accordingly. My advice to other consumers is simple: when in doubt, don't buy it. Boycott the products with ambiguous labels and thereby inflict damage where it hurts these companies the most, in their profit margins.
