Public Inclusion and Responsiveness in Governance of Genetically Engineered Animals

Abstract Genetically engineered (GE) animal-based foods have entered the Canadian market in recent years, yet a significant proportion of the public is reticent to consume them. Responsible innovation has been suggested as a paradigm for bolstering democratic processes and aligning societal values with technology research and development. In this chapter, we examine regulatory decision-making for the first GE animal approved for food consumption in Canada, the AquAdvantage Salmon (AAS), according to two principles of responsible innovation (RI)— inclusion and responsiveness . First, we look at the regulatory approval process for AAS to examine when there were opportunities for public and stakeholder participation in decision-making (inclusion ). Second, we report on our studies using textual analysis of one public participation window—a series of Parliamentary hearings associated with GE animal oversight in Canada in 2016. Here, we examine whether decision-makers incorporated the diverse stakeholder perspectives and concerns voiced at the hearings into their final reports ( responsiveness ). Finally, we identify barriers to putting inclusion and responsiveness into practice in risk governance of GEOs and discuss ways to overcome these barriers to facilitate responsible innovation practices in oversight systems for emerging technologies.