Halloween conference on Franken-foods

Back in 1993, when no one was paying attention, the Ministry of Agriculture in Ottawa quietly and discreetly changed its name to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. What on earth is "agri-food," you ask? No one is quite sure, actually, but so far as anyone can tell, it's the Orwellian word the government uses to describe bio-engineered and genetically transformed foods, and to give the stamp of approval to the mad scientists who create them at the government's experimental farms. >> But while the government may support the development of Franken-foods, others aren't so sure. While many mysteries still surround such foods. "What we do know is that corporations are awfully anxious to get these foods to market," says QPIRG-Concordia's Mike Caplan. >> Caplan is organizing the Biotechnology Halloween Nightmare conference to explore the physical and ethical ramifications of bio-engineering. In addition to a number of speakers, the conference will feature such fun events as "bobbing for organic apples" and "pin the tail on the transgenically mutated tomato." Conference takes place Friday, Oct. 31 at Hotel Tango, 173a Van Horne (corner du Parc) at 6:30 p.m. Admission $5-7. --Philip Preville