My gut reaction to the first genetically modified animal produced for consumption was like many peoples'; a bit of disgust with whole lot of 'why'!?. Before I wrote this piece though, I wanted to be able to give you all the relevant information about the 'frankensalmon' so you can form your own opinion about it.

After my meeting with the Health Minister Rona Ambrose in November, 2014, I was under the impression that labelling genetically modified foods was up to the scientists at Health Canada. But when I asked two of Health Canada's senior officials about it, I was told that it's not a health and safety issue; therefore it is not within their mandate. Shouldn't the Ministry of Health and Health Canada be looking for conclusive proof that GMOs are safe? I think that is a better way to look out for the health of Canadians.

The topic of genetically engineered crops is not new. They were first introduced into Canada 15 years ago, with four crops -- canola, corn, soy and sugar beets -- which now dominate the food industry. Today it's estimated that more than 70 per cent of the products you purchase at your local grocery store contain genetically modified ingredients.