Highlights from 2005
Leave to Appeal Granted
On August 30, 2005 we received the decision by Honourable Mr. Justice Cameron of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal granting us leave to appeal Judge Gene Ann Smith's May 11, 2005 decision.
Read Judge Cameron's decision here. (PDF 300k)
Read our press release here. (pdf 41k)
Application for leave to appeal set for August 24, 2005
Our hearing seeking leave to appeal Judge Gene Ann Smith's decision on certification will be at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, 2425 Victoria Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan on August 24 at 10:00 AM. See our arguments in the Memorandum of Law for the Prospective Appellants. (PDF 3.8MB)
OAPF seeks to overturn lower court decision on certification
On May 25, 2005 we filed documents with the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan in Regina, seeking leave to appeal Judge Gene Ann Smith's May 11, 2005 decision denying us class certification under Saskatchewan's Class Actions Act. The leave to appeal documents identify numerous and serious errors in the lower court judge's decision justifying an appeal.
Press release (PDF)
Certification decision goes against us
On May 11, 2005 Judge Gene Ann Smith released her decision regarding certification of our action as a class action. She decided against certification.Read the decision. (PDF)
David Suzuki benefit lecture a great success
17 May 2005
Photos by George Douklias.
More photos in the Photo Gallery.
On April 25, 2005 close to 1,000 people streamed into the Centre of the Arts in Regina, Saskatchewan to hear Dr. David Suzuki's talk, "The Genetic Revolution: Putting Biotechnology in its Place" in support the Organic Agriculture Protection Fund. Ian Mauro began the evening with clips from his forthcoming film about the legal action to provide background information to the audience.
What organic farmers have said is genetically engineered organisms (GMOs) represent a kind of technology we do not want to incorporate into our food growing, and I support that,
Suzuki said.
Suzuki's talk was passionate and inspired, and was answered with a prolonged standing ovation from the audience.
Earlier that day Suzuki and members of the OAPF Committee held a press conference. Suzuki also met with Saskatchewan's Environment Minister, David Forbes prior to the lecture.
Dr. Suzuki's talk was video-recorded, and is for sale as a DVD which includes clips in Mauro's soon-to-be released film on the SOD OAPF case, "Battling the Biotech Gene Giants." Proceeds from the sale of the DVD will go to support the farmers' legal action. Order your copy today.
- 'Rush to exploit biotechnology' concerns Suzuki (Leader Post/Star Phoenix article PDF 40K)
- Suzuki urges more study on GM foods (Western Producer article PDF 48K)
- Event Poster (pdf 488k)
- David Suzuki Foundation
Position Paper
14 March 2005The Saskatchewan Organic Directorate has developed a Position Paper on Proposed Changes to the Plant Breeders Rights Act and submitted it to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Read the full document here. (pdf 88k)