Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 606 GERMINATION.CA MARCH 2017 Chill on Science The administration’s approach to science in general will be one to watch, Carey notes. “The TPP had provisions that were strong in science- based decision making,” he says. “There were provi- sions that required countries to make their science-based approval process for new biotech traits more transparent as well.” In January, officials at the Environmental Protection Agency and the USDA informed staff via email that they are no longer permitted to discuss agency research or departmental restrictions with anyone outside of the agency, including the news media, and that press releases and other external communications regarding taxpayer- funded work would be stopped pending further notice. Trump signed an executive order Jan. 27 which pro- hibited travellers from seven predominantly Muslim coun- tries from entering the U.S. Before the order was put on hold by a U.S. judge, it had a chilling effect on Canadian scientists like Samira Samimi, who studies climate change at the University of Calgary. The 30-year-old PhD stu- dent’s life was thrown into turmoil in January when she was informed she couldn’t enter the U.S. in order to catch a cargo plane flight to Greenland to take part in a research project studying the Greenland ice sheet. Samimi is an Iranian-born permanent resident of Canada. “I never thought it would affect me. As someone doing science, I’ve never been rejected going to Europe or the United States. I’ve never had problems. I’m shocked at the ridiculousness of it,” she tells Germination. “I’m not even studying in the U.S. — I’m a resident of Canada working in Greenland. It’s such nonsense. This is science. If one country, one man, won’t let me do my sci- ence, I don’t know what to say.” Trump has already expressed a desire to renegoti- ate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), something that could have far-reaching implications for the science world. Under NAFTA, certain Canadian professionals, including research scientists, may enter the United States and Mexico to carry out professional activities for an employer or on contract to an enterprise located in a member country. This includes performing training functions or conduct- ing seminars related to their profession. Professionals are exempt from the job-validation process normally required of individuals seeking to work in another country. “A lot of CSTA member companies operate in the U.S., and our hope is that integration of the two economies is something that will continue. If the U.S. is pulling away from trade deals, that’s their decision,” Carey says. “If that’s the case, the next thing to do is for Canada to get out there and pursue agreements with counties that would have been in the TPP [and other trade agree- ments]. My hope is that Canada pursues these relation- ships so that we’re not solely reliant on trade with the United States. Diversification is always good.” Affleck agrees the events down south provide a chance for Canada to chart a new path for itself in the global agricultural sphere. “There are opportunities for Canada to be a global thought leader in what the next generation of plant breed- ing innovation and regulation will look like.” —with files from Julie Deering Ian Affleck serves as executive director of plant biotechnology for CropLife Canada, and hopes that the U.S. withdrawal from the TPP does not indicate a bigger trend. Samira Samimi is a climate change researcher at the University of Calgary. The Iranian-born PhD student was recently barred from entering the U.S. as a result of President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban. Dave Carey is government affairs and policy director for the Canadian Seed Trade Association and says the Trans-Pacific Partnership would have alleviated non-tariff trade barriers around seed. “THEREAREOPPORTUNITIESFORCANADATOBE AGLOBALTHOUGHTLEADERINWHATTHENEXT GENERATIONOFPLANTBREEDINGINNOVATION ANDREGULATIONWILLLOOKLIKE.” –IanAffleck