To the editor:
Re: “Film fest docs for your viewing pleasure,” Sept. 27
With reference to VIFF’s Salmon Confidential film showing, an important question is: Is B.C. salmon safe to eat? In nearly every big box store, salmon are of two different pedigrees: wild and farmed. We have listened to a variety of views about salmon sources and continuation of the species. But, after years of arguing and conflicting statistics, important questions about the health of our fish, and by inference our own, are still not satisfactorily answered. Nor is much attention paid to disturbing discoveries of dead and diseased fish stocks on the coast, where there was nothing of this magnitude years ago.
The public is following the conflicts: accusations and denials, questioning of evidence sources and of testing methods. What some experts view as facts, other commentators view as ideologically-tinged ranting. John Q Public, however, clearly sees scientists being muzzled, foreign fish farm companies with the upper hand, and government agencies passing the buck and denying culpability.
We are nauseated by the “debate” while we await serious scientific testing, government responsibility, and food safety information. We won’t be cowed into accepting any “silent spring,” because we know we can’t afford complacency.
Are any B.C. salmon infected by new and highly dangerous European viruses, as much of the evidence suggests? Will the Canadian community publicly affirm our indigenous neighbours’ beliefs that wild salmon is precious, and that we must do everything we can to protect this awesome natural wonder?
We call upon the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Fisheries to come clean. There’s health and peace of mind for the people and region somewhere in all of this. The public admires honesty, truth-telling, and above all, civil servants — and their masters — doing the right thing. Some whistle-blowing might get Canada back on the right track.
Derek Spragg and Sandra Bruneau,
Vancouver
