Canada's Supreme Court Decides to Let Corporations Own Life

Today the Supreme Court of Canada made a truly terrible decision. The ruled in favour of allowing patents on life. Specifically they ruled in favour of U.S. biotech company Monsanto and its patent on a gene in its Round-Up Ready canola seeds. Here is a quote from a CBC article:

In a 5-4 decision, the court upheld Monsanto's patent over its Roundup Ready canola plant gene, ruling Percy Schmeiser infringed on the company's patent by growing the plant without a licence. (for the full article click here)

A very close decision, and sadly the wrong one. Allowing corporate control of life, whatever form it may take, is wrong. Life, particularly seeds, are of the commons. This decision gives corporations a pretext for forcing their patented life on others. Should their owned life turn up even accidentally in a farmer's field, this decision provides Monsanto, and other large biotech companies with the justification to sue. The danger goes beyond simply owning one variation of life, it is about the monopolization of it.