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      Cloning
      Animals
      For
      Food
      In
      Poor
      Taste
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Chris
      Collie
     
     
      The
      Cord
      Weekly
      (Wilfrid
      Laurier)
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      WATERLOO,
      O.N.
      (CUP)
      --
      It's
      fas-
     
     
      cinating
      how
      concepts
      presented
      within
     
     
      not-so-distant
      science
      fiction
      love
      to
     
     
      become
      science
      fact.
      A
      great
      and
      re-
     
     
      cent
      example
      of
      this
      is
      animal
      cloning.
     
     
      Right
      now,
      massive
      pressure
      is
      being
     
     
      placed
      on
      American
      federal
      regulators
     
     
      by
      private
      interests
      to
      approve
      and
      le-
     
     
      gitimize
      the
      cloning
      of
      farm
      animals
      for
     
     
      human
      consumption.
     
    

    
     
      These
      interests
      have
      argued
      that
      milk
     
     
      or
      meat
      products
      from
      a
      cloned
      cow
     
     
      should
      be
      available
      for
      sale
      alongside
     
     
      those
      from
      regular,
      non-cloned
      animals.
     
     
      Interestingly
      enough,
      no
      law
      currently
     
     
      prevents
      them
      from
      being
      distributed
     
     
      within
      the
      US.
      And
      this
      one
      took
      me
     
     
      by
      surprise:
      they
      already
      have
      the
     
     
      cloned
      animals
      ready
      to
      go.
      Ina
      very
     
     
      real
      sense,
      science
      snuck
      up
      on
      legisla-
     
     
      tors,
      and
      the
      public
      as
      well.
     
    

    
     
      But
      because
      these
      private
      interests
      al-
     
     
      ways
      play
      nice,
      of
      course,
      companies
     
     
      such
      as
      the
      Austin,
      Texas-based
     
     
      ViaGen
      have
      voluntarily
      withheld
      all
     
     
      cloned
      animals
      until
      federal
      approval
      for
     
     
      their
      distribution
      is
      received,
      which
      isn’t
     
     
      looking
      far
      off.
     
    

    
     
      In
      fact,
      according
      to
      an
      article
      in
      the
     
     
      Portsmouth
      Herald,
      as
      far
      back
      as
      2002
     
     
      the
      US
      Food
      and
      Drug
      Administration
     
     
      (FDA)
      was
      already
      on
      track
      to
      release
     
     
      a
      National
      Academy
      of
      Science
      report
     
     
      it
      commissioned,
      stating
      that
      food
      de-
     
     
      rived
      from
      cloned
      animals
      poses
      no
     
     
      safety
      concern
      to
      humans,
      and
      there-
     
     
      fore
      should
      be
      deemed
      appropriate
      for
     
     
      sale.
     
    

    
     
      That
      report
      was
      scrapped
      in
      its
      final
     
     
      hour,
      but
      is
      rumored
      to
      be
      making
      a
      re-
     
     
      appearance
      within
      the
      next
      few
      months,
     
     
      causing
      all
      the
      recent
      media
      attention.
     
     
      Meanwhile,
      Canada
      is
      also
      looking
      into
     
     
      the
      idea
      of
      legitimizing
      cloned
      animal
     
     
      products,
      with
      a
      paper
      slated
      for
      re-
     
     
      lease
      from
      Health
      Canada
      this
      fall
      dis-
     
     
      cussing
      the
      matter.
     
    

    
     
      The
      University
      of
      Guelph
      is
      currently
     
     
      performing
      a
      long-term
      study
      on
      seven
     
     
      cloned
      cows.
     
    

    
     
      One
      should
      be
      rather
      confident
      that
     
     
      concems
      regarding
      human
      safety
      are
      not
     
     
      the
      main
      issue
      holding
      up
      all
      of
      this
      clon-
     
     
      ing
      business
      though,
      as
      firms
      like
      ViaGen
     
    
   
   
    
     
      would
      have
      you
      believe.
      The
      main
      snag
     
     
      is
      negative
      public
      perception
      of
      the
      idea
     
     
      --
      what
      some
      of
      these
      firms
      call
      the
     
     
      “gross
      factor.”
     
    

    
     
      The
      idea
      of
      cloning
      in
      general
      frightens
     
     
      people.
      Knowing
      that
      we
      have
      the
     
     
      power
      to
      make
      a
      genetically
      identical
     
     
      copy
      of
      a
      living
      being
      has
      already
      been
     
     
      tough
      enough
      for
      the
      public
      to
      accept,
     
     
      never
      mind
      the
      idea
      of
      eating
      one
      for
     
     
      dinner.
     
    

    
     
      If
      public
      safety
      was
      really
      the
      main
      con-
     
     
      cern
      when
      it
      comes
      to
      approving
      new
     
     
      methods
      of
      food
      production
      in
      North
     
     
      America,
      the
      US
      and
      Canada
      would
     
     
      never
      have
      allowed
      the
      massive
      infil-
     
     
      tration
      of
      genetically
      modified
      ingredi-
     
     
      ents
      into
      our
      food
      system
      without
      a
      more
     
     
      stringent
      approval
      process
      and
      study
     
     
      period.
     
    

    
     
      According
      to
      a
      panel
      of
      experts
      at
      the
     
     
      Royal
      Society
      of
      Canada
      who
      were
     
     
      mentioned
      in
      a
      recent
      Globe
      and
      Mail
     
     
      piece,
      the
      approval
      process
      in
      this
     
     
      country
      for
      genetically
      modified
      foods
     
     
      was
      extremely
      flawed.
      Not
      to
      mention
     
     
      the
      fact
      that
      most
      of
      the
      country
      had
      no
     
     
      idea
      this
      even
      took
      place.
     
    

    
     
      Currently,
      about
      75
      per
      cent
      of
      the
     
     
      processed
      foods
      Canadians
      eat
      are
     
     
      likely
      to
      contain
      genetically
      modified
     
     
      ingredients,
      with
      none
      of
      them
      labeled,
     
     
      even
      as
      the
      long
      term
      effects
      of
      such
     
     
      foods
      are
      still
      undetermined.
     
    

    
     
      It's
      being
      presented
      that
      the
      human
      con-
     
     
      sumption
      of
      such
      materials
      is
      safe,
      even
     
     
      when
      the
      animals
      themselves
      are
      being
     
     
      plagued
      by
      damaging
      health
      problems.
     
     
      These
      include
      weakened
      immune
      sys-
     
     
      tems
      leading
      to
      an
      increased
      need
      for
     
     
      antibiotics,
      the
      development
      of
      arthritis
     
     
      at
      an
      earlier
      age
      alongside
      other
      pre-
     
     
      mature
      aging,
      heart
      and
      breathing
      prob-
     
     
      lems,
      deformities,
      and
      obesity.
     
    

    
     
      These
      are
      all
      terribly
      frightening,
      yet
      they
     
     
      will
      not
      be
      the
      main
      reason
      if
      cloned
     
     
      foods
      don’t
      get
      approved
      in
      Canada.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Only
      this
      pesky
      public
      perception
      is-
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      sue
      can
      sour
      the
      deal
      now.
      That
      is,
      if
      it
     
     
      makes
      it
      to
      the
      national
      level,
      unlike
     
     
      genetically
      modified
      foods
      which
      were
     
     
      stealthily
      approved.
      They
      are
      now
      an
     
     
      institutionalized
      aspect
      of
      our
      nation’s
     
     
      food
      manufacturing
      system,
      and
      won’t
     
     
      be
      going
      anywhere
      soon.
      And
      if
      cloned
     
     
      animal
      products
      do
      get
      the
      nod,
      neither
     
     
      will
      they.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Continued
      from
      page
      4
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      available.
      Furthermore,
      what
      does
      the
     
     
      SU
      Executive
      and
      the
      General
      Manager
     
     
      mean
      by
      the
      right
      information.
      If
      it
      is
      a
     
     
      simple
      break
      down
      of
      some
      numbers
     
     
      or
      an
      clear
      explanation
      of
      why
      a
      given
     
     
      sum
      of
      money
      went
      to
      a
      given
      location,
     
     
      that
      would
      be
      one
      thing,
      but
      I
      fear
      that
     
     
      this
      information
      is
      rather
      a
      “proper”
      way
     
     
      of
      interpreting
      the
      budget.
      Do
      they
     
     
      understand
      the
      needs
      of
      regular
      students
     
     
      better
      than
      the
      rest
      of
      the
      student
      body?
     
     
      This
      would
      mean
      that
      the
      SU
      Executive
     
     
      basically
      controls
      the
      access
      to
     
     
      information.
      Put
      in
      another
      way,
      how
     
     
      do
      we
      know
      the
      information
      is
      unbiased
     
     
      when
      there
      is
      a
      lack
      in
      transparency
     
     
      even
      if
      the
      document
      was
      ratified
      by
     
     
      council.
      In
      addition,
      while
      most
      students
     
     
      will
      not
      be
      interested
      in
      knowing
      about
     
     
      the
      budget,
      some
      will
      and
      it
      is
      not
     
     
      feasible
      for
      the
      VP
      of
      Finance
      to
      spend
     
     
      a
      lot
      of
      time
      repeating
      explanations
      to
     
     
      students
      over
      and
      over
      again
      as
      he
      is
     
     
      busy
      with
      the
      rest
      of
      his
      duties.
     
    

    
     
      The
      budget
      itself
      is
      a
      working
     
     
      document,
      meaning
      it
      is
      subject
      to
     
     
      change
      any
      time
      throughout
      the
      year,
     
     
      this
      is
      one
      of
      the
      reason’s
      the
      budget
      is
     
     
      not
      made
      public.
      Also,
      it
      says
      in
      the
     
     
      constitution
      that
      the
      VP
      of
      Finance
      and
     
     
      GM
      will
      review
      the
      budget
      with
     
     
      students.
      But
      how
      is
      anyone
      supposed
     
     
      to
      know
      whether
      or
      not
      a
      change
      in
      the
     
     
      budget
      is
      possible.
      Say
      for
      example
     
     
      students
      wanted
      to
      start
      a
      new
      student
     
     
      program
      that
      they
      think
      would
      make
      life
     
     
      better
      on
      campus,
      anything
      at
      all.
     
     
      Students
      will
      not
      be
      able
      to
      raise
      the
     
     
      necessary
      money
      by
      themselves,
      they
     
     
      will
      need
      SU
      support.
      So
      ifa
      group
      of
     
     
      students
      were
      considering
      starting
      a
      new
     
     
      major
      activity
      or
      program
      for
      students
     
     
      how
      would
      they
      know
      whether
      or
      not
     
     
      that
      action
      is
      really
      feasible
      in
      terms
      of
     
     
      SU
      finances.
      I
      think
      any
      students
     
     
      interested
      in
      campus
      activities
      would
     
     
      want
      to
      be
      able
      to
      have
      a
      look
      at
      the
     
     
      budget
      themselves
      so
      that
      they
      can
      push
     
     
      for
      a
      given
      allocation
      of
      funds
      or
     
     
      assistance
      with
      their
      idea.
      It
      is
      not
      the
     
     
      SU
      who
      should
      be
      able
      to
      decide
      one
     
     
      way
      or
      another
      based
      on
      this
      special
     
     
      background
      information.
      Perhaps
      the
     
     
      constitution
      needs
      a
      second
      look.
     
    

    
     
      Despite
      the
      need
      for
      the
      proper
     
     
      information
      I
      guarantee
      that
      some
     
     
      people,
      student,
      tax-payer,
      citizen,
      even
     
    
   
   
    
     
      if
      presented
      with
      a
      mountain
      of
     
     
      pertinent,
      detailed
      information,
      will
     
     
      never,
      ever
      understand
      the
      why
      and
     
     
      how
      ofa
      budget,
      but
      they
      still
      have
      every
     
     
      right
      to
      it.
     
    

    
     
      Representatives
      of
      unions
      are
      not
     
     
      elected
      because
      of
      higher
      intellectual
     
     
      ability
      or
      popularity
      or
      politics,
      they
      are
     
     
      elected
      because
      they
      understand
      the
     
     
      woes
      of
      the
      people
      they
      represent,
      and
     
     
      are
      responsive
      to
      their
      constituency.
      It
     
     
      is
      not
      in
      the
      interest
      of
      a
      union
      to
      put
     
     
      constraints
      on
      information,
      nor
      is
      itright
     
     
      for
      a
      member
      to
      be
      kept
      in
      the
      dark
     
     
      about
      the
      union’s
      activities.
      With
      that
      it
     
     
      is
      worth
      mentioning
      that
      a
      union
      is
      an
     
     
      organization
      designed
      specifically
      to
     
     
      pursue
      the
      needs
      and
      desires
      of
      its
     
     
      members,
      to
      fight
      on
      their
      behalf
      and
     
     
      make
      decisions
      that
      promote
      the
     
     
      welfare
      of
      its
      members
      against
      other
     
     
      forces
      that
      may
      be
      directly,
      or
     
     
      indirectly
      marginalizing
      them.
     
    

    
     
      Some
      might
      say
      that
      there
      was
     
     
      already
      a
      chance
      to
      debate
      the
      budget
     
     
      and
      that
      chance
      came
      last
      year
      at
      the
     
     
      Student
      Council
      meetings,
      however
     
     
      what
      happened
      last
      year
      is
      irrelevant
      to
     
     
      pushing
      for
      openness
      and
      awareness
     
     
      this
      year.
      We
      must
      be
      looking
      towards
     
     
      the
      future,
      and
      asking
      ourselves
      how
     
     
      we
      can
      improve
      our
      lives
      during
      these
     
     
      critical
      years
      of
      university
      life.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Student
      Union
      has
      been
     
     
      doing
      a
      fantastic
      job
      this
      year
      for
      which
     
     
      I
      applaud
      them,
      they
      are
      visible,
     
     
      approachable,
      and
      available,
      both
      the
     
     
      executive
      and
      the
      councillors.
      The
      VP
     
     
      of
      Finance
      and
      General
      Manger
      were
     
     
      a
      great
      help,
      and
      I
      think
      we
      have
      a
     
     
      strong
      president.
      As
      I
      mentioned,
      the
     
     
      Arts
      Reps
      that
      I
      have
      contacted
      have
     
     
      been
      hugely
      helpful
      and
      so
     
     
      accommodating
      to
      my
      concerns.
      My
     
     
      aim
      is
      simply
      to
      build
      on
      this
      progress,
     
     
      to
      help
      create
      an
      environment
      of
     
     
      transparency
      and
      clarity
      within
      the
     
     
      Student
      Union
      that
      will
      reach
      out
      to
     
     
      students
      and
      to
      push
      towards
      a
      unified
     
     
      student
      body.
      Only
      then
      will
      we
      really
     
     
      achieve
      our
      goals
      here
      at
      UPEI
      and
     
     
      further
      them
      into
      our
      respective
      post-
     
     
      graduate
      worlds.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Thanks
      again
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Zain
      Essseghaier
     
     
      zain_es@hotmail.com