b'CONTENT FROMTaking Canada toNew HeightsAnthony Parker is working to bolster Plant Breeders Rights around the world as vice-president of the UPOV councilthe first Canadian to hold the position.Marc ZienkiewiczANTHONY PARKER HASbeenMoving to UPOV 91known in Canada for years as aParker was born in 1970 and grew up on staunch defender of Plant Breedersa farm just outside Ottawa. He originally Rights (PBR), and hes just taken histrained to be a plant breeder, but found experiences and expertise in that depart- himself working in the regulatory sphere ment to the global level.after he was hired by the CFIA.Parker, commissioner of the PlantI was very fortunate at the time to Breeders Rights office at the Canadianhave two mentors at Agriculture and Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), hasAgri-Food Canada, who sort of saw become the first Canadian to sit on thepotential in me that perhaps I didnt see global council of the International Unionmyself. I expressed an interest in plant for the Protection of New Varieties ofbreeding, and they encouraged me to go Plants (UPOV) as vice president.off and do my graduate studies, he says. An intergovernmental organizationI still was able to keep a job with them, with headquarters in Switzerland, UPOVand eventually, they nudged me to leave is at the forefront of setting guidance onthe nest and I moved over to CFIA. Then PBR for the world, with members from 78a challenge came forth to me to work countries including Canada. with the sector to move Canada up to UPOV is a consensus-based organiza- UPOV 91.tion. It came into existence in the 1960s,For decades, Canada was not a morphing into an international system forUPOV member at all; it finally got there protecting new plant varieties.in 1991 with a weaker form of intellectual All member countries have to beproperty (IP) protection when it signed on board with the decision to elect itsonto the UPOV 1978 convention. It took president and vice president. Its up to26 years for Canada to move up to the the current outgoing president to iden- UPOV 1991 convention, the most current tify potential candidates who they thinkversion.might serve well in the role, and then theyBack in the 1960s and right through canvass other members to see if theresalmost to the late 1980s, UPOV member-support. Parker was approached, andship was small; only around 20 countries quite surprisedit wasnt something hewere members in the early days. In the thought very much about, he says.early 1990s, as IP protection became As a public servant, if others believemore relevant to trade agreements, more that you have value to offer, how can youcountries joined in. say no to that? I was honored and hum- At that time, IP didnt have the profile bled to be asked. it has today. It took almost a decade and As vice president, Parker will helpthree attempts in our Parliament just to lead UPOV decision-making and furtherimplement a law and sign onto UPOV 78, strengthen PBR not only in Canada, but inParker says. all UPOV member countries.IP is always controversial.66/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2023'