Environment Environnement
CanadaCanadaAccess to Genetic Resources andBenefit-sharing:
Canadian Perspectives

High-level Experts Meeting in Tokyo
Addressing the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) Challenges in theContext of the Convention on Biological Diversity
8 -9 February 2007
Tokyo, Japan

Presented by Adrienne Seel

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CanadaCanadaABS Unit

Why is Canada Developing an ABS Policy Framework?

2•To ensure facilitated access to genetic resources•To encourage additional benefits from use ofgenetic resources

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CanadaCanadaABS Unit

Domestic approach to ABS in Canada needs to take intoaccount:
••••
•

3

Canada’s jurisdictional reality and existing practices
Wide-ranging public policy goals
Canada’s international obligations
Respect, maintenance and preservation of traditional
knowledge
Engagement of key stakeholders

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Canadian interest:

4•

Canadians are both providers and users of genetic resources•

Interest of the Canadians about ABS related to:•Potential impact on research, innovation, commercialization
and•Potential to improve conservation

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CanadaCanadaABS Unit

Significant movement towards the development of Canadianpolicy on ABS5•

Federal/Provincial/Territorial government’s (FPT) Working Groupon ABS created in September 2004 by Federal, Provincial andTerritorial Ministers responsible for Forests, Wildlife, Endangered
Species and Fisheries and Aquaculture.

•Scoping Paper and Guiding Principles developed.

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Guiding Principles for
ABS Policy Development in Canada6•

Broad in Scope•

Environment-focused•

Practical and Economically Supportive•Improve Health and Well-being of Canadians•Involvement of Aboriginal Peoples in policy development andimplementation•

Simple, Efficient, Adaptable and Flexible•

Balanced, Equitable and Transparent•

EnablingCanada

Environment Environnement
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ABS in the Canadian Domestic System

7•

Impossible to know extent of bioprospecting activity, but it isoccurring in all regions• Valuable species spread out all across the country in different
ecosystem• Canada’s extreme environments (Arctic, hydro vents, toxic sites)• Unique resources, unique environmental and social conditions•

Limited ability currently for Canada to control access to or sharein benefits from our genetic resources• Policy and legal gaps exist• Canadians should benefit from use of Canada’s genetic resources

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CanadaCanadaABS Unit

Key domestic engagement activities

8•

Workshop on the S&T Agenda: December 2004 (Ottawa)•Northern Workshop on ABS and associated TK (15-17 March 2005,Whitehorse)•

FPT DM/ADM-level meeting on ABS (Gatineau, June 21-22, 2005)•

Workshop on ABS and Agriculture (8-9 November 2005, Saskatoon)•Workshop on ABS and Forest Genetic Resources (Fredericton,February 21-22, 2006)•Canadian National Meeting on ABS and the Issue of Certificates ofOrigin/Source/Legal provenance (Gatineau, November 16, 2006)•Potential forthcoming workshops• Workshop on ABS and Marine Genetic Resources• Workshop on ABS and IP

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Issues Raised:
••

•

•

9Plant Genetic Resources• Need to strengthen global approaches• Both in situ and ex situ conservation strategies are important
Animal Genetic Resources• Long-established tradition of exchange by contract in theAgricultural sector, often for payment• Progress has been made on ABS policy for genebanks, but this isnew area
• Currently not as well preserved as plant resources
Microbes• Little known in Canada but prolific and potentially economicallysignificantGaps• Native medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge

CanadaEnvironment Environnement
CanadaCanadaABS Unit

A well designed ABS policy aimed at regulating access andensuring benefit-sharing should create opportunities
•

•

•

10

Environmentally• Improved conservation of biodiversity• Protection of domestic and global species for social good
• Benefit sharing in support of conservation• Development of sustainable resource management practices• Enhanced value and taxonomic knowledge
Economically• Foster R&D in genetic resources• Develop legal certainty for researchers and biotechnology
companies
Socially• Incentive for sustainable and ethical use of genetic resources andassociated knowledge• Encourage sharing of scientific knowledge for the common good
• Rural employment and regional development• Sustainable development of Aboriginal communities

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CanadaCanadaABS Unit

General Conclusions:11•

Experts in various fields clearly stated that genetic resources arecritical•

Further discussion will be needed to better document and understandthe extent to which Canadian researchers, companies, farmers andothers are dependent on the exchange of genetic resources and what
implication ABS policies may have for particular sectors•A holistic approach is needed for ABS but there are differences which
need to be recognized across plants, animal and microbes

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Canada