Media Matters, a report on SFU in the news, is distributed daily and compiled by SFU Public Affairs & Media Relations (PAMR).

FACULTY/STAFF/STUDENTS

PAT HOWARD, SFU COMMUNICATION

It’s imprudent to downplay the significance of manipulating genes in animals destined for animal consumption, SFU’s Pat Howard told Postmedia News. "The regulatory agencies in both the U.S. and Canada came back and said, 'No, no, we feel that the genetically engineered stuff, as long as it appears to be more or less the same, we will treat it as substantially equivalent or generally regarded as safe. That's your base problem here. We've got in place a regulatory system that never accepted the idea that we needed a special system to deal with the special effects of the process. They only want to look at the product — are the products substantially equivalent — not the process,” she added. http://at.sfu.ca/IONfJB

ROB GORDON, SFU CRIMINOLOGY

Cities alarmed about rising RCMP costs are pressing Ottawa to take on more of the burden and rein in spending by the Mounties, reports BCLocalNews.com. SFU’s Rob Gordon predicted policing costs would decrease if B.C. created its own regional police force. If the province renews its RCMP contract, Gordon suggested including an escape clause. "It would be grossly irresponsible at this point to go ahead and sign without some sort of opt out,” said Gordon. http://at.sfu.ca/wsTwNj

JIM RAHE, SFU BIOLOGY

Jim Rahe is a retired SFU biology professor but he remains actively involved with developing and nurturing new varieties of apples and other fruits at the Otter Road farm he established with his wife Mary Ann in 1979, reported the Aldergrove Star.http://at.sfu.ca/ybvwHY

JOANNE CURRY, SFU SURREY

SFU’s Surrey campus is at its maximum capacity and is renovating 50,000 sq. ft of space to accommodate more students next year, according to the Surrey North Delta Leader. But the provincial government said it has no plans to provide operational funding, something that SFU Surrey campus executive director Joanne Curry disputes. "Looking at the letter that was provided, it doesn't say that at all," she said. "We've had probably 10 meetings since then talking about the need for additional spaces, with lots of head nodding, so it's a kind of perplexing response." http://at.sfu.ca/HOhrJb

JOHN LOWMAN, SFU CRIMINOLOGY

Governments were in disarray and at least one prostitution charge was withdrawn by the Crown as the effects of a landmark ruling that decriminalized prostitution in Ontario began to be felt. The ruling also left police confused and neighbourhoods fortifying to fend off a possible deluge of sex-trade workers. SFU’s John Lowman told The Globe and Mail this will affect communities all across Canada. “We could end up with a bizarre patchwork of regulation across the country,” said Lowman. “Nor, is there any guarantee that municipalities are going to do any better at this than the feds. It depends upon the attitude they take to a highly divisive issue in Canadian society.” http://at.sfu.ca/BLMWRy

CRAIG VANDERMEER, SFU STUDENT

Craig Vandermeer believes that everyone deserves an education and a safe building in which to learn. He is so passionate about this that he has created his own charity, Schools Building Schools (SBS), which endeavours to provide funding for the construction of vocational schools in rural Uganda. “For the last couple of months things have really taken off," he told the Kemptville EMC. "It's stressful but rewarding. The amount of work it takes to start an organization from the ground up is challenging." http://at.sfu.ca/kdWRCi