By Canadian Press

China ban on Canadian canola not science based: Chamber of Commerce

Mar 29, 2019 | 8:23 AM

OTTAWA — The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says China’s decision to ban canola imports from Canada has no basis in scientific fact.

Mark Agnew, senior director of international policy for the chamber, says he trusts the science-based assessments by Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that Canada’s crop is safe.

Agnew stopped short of accusing the People’s Republic of using the ban as retaliation for Canada’s decision to detain a top executive with telecom giant Huawei.

China’s decision to ban $2 billion worth of Canadian exports is widely seen as retaliation for Canada’s arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, at the behest of the United States.

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With the Canadian canola industry urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to press China for solutions, the House of Commons agriculture committee meets later this morning in Ottawa to consider a Conservative motion to take action.

China says it has found hazardous organisms in the shipments of two major canola exporters, Richardson International Ltd. and Viterra, Inc., while its foreign ministry spokesman has told Canada to “take practical measures to correct the mistakes.”

The Canadian Press