Day 278 - 11 Jul 96 - Page 07

     
     1             So, I would say that there is quite wide belief there
     2        that McDonald's is not being truthful about what they are
     3        saying and coupled with the book that I had, which my
     4        parents had given me, which clearly states about McDonald's
     5        involvement, you know, as far as I was concerned McDonald's
     6        were just trying to lie their way out of a tight corner in
     7        the same way that, or trying to force people to make
     8        apologies in the same way that, they had forced them to
     9        apologise for using the words 'torture' and 'murder' which
    10        are quite justifiably used in respect of the way that
    11        animals are treated.
    12
    13   Q.   This passage in Mr. Douglas Shane's book which he wrote for
    14        the United States government I think could not conceivably
    15        form a foundation for a belief in the truth of what is in
    16        the so-called fact sheet, could it Miss Steel?
    17        A.  Not on its own but with the other things that I have
    18        read, yes, it could.  There is another thing that I have
    19        read about, where there is reference to McDonald's actually
    20        having interests in cattle ranches in Brazil as well.  If
         you want me to find it I might have to have a bit of a
    22        think because I cannot remember quite where it is.
    23
    24   MR. MORRIS:  Can I say that Miss Steel was referred to a passage
    25        about defoliants and she should be pointed to page 15.  I
    26        think that might be the passage she was referring to.
    27        A.  Yes, that is the whole chapter about how the forest is
    28        taken -- how the land goes from forest to pasture is the
    29        chapter that I was referring to, and the use of 245T agent,
    30        orange.  Do you want me to try and remember where that
    31        other thing is or are you about to go on to something
    32        else?
    33
    34   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Which other thing do you want?
    35        A.  I don't even -- I will probably have to have quite a
    36        think about it but I do remember that I have read something
    37        about McDonald's having some kind of ranching interest in
    38        Brazil.
    39
    40   MR. RAMPTON:  I want to go back to the leaflet now, Miss Steel.
         I have finished reading in the middle of that paragraph,
    42        "using lethal poisons", et cetera, "to provide fast food
    43        packaging materials".  Then there is a parenthesis, "Don't
    44        be fooled by McDonald's saying they use recycled paper,
    45        only a tiny per cent of it is.  The truth is it takes 800
    46        square miles of forest just to keep them supplied with
    47        paper for one year.  Tons of this end up littering the
    48        cities of developed countries."  I understood you to say,
    49        Miss Steel, on a previous occasion you do not accept that
    50        is a reference to rainforest trees?
    51        A.  That is right, yes, that is not how I read it.  I did
    52        not read it as a reference to rainforest, I thought it was
    53        talking about forests in general.
    54
    55   Q.   Could I ask you, please, to fetch pink 1A?  I hope it may
    56        be beside you, I don't know.
    57        A.  Yes, I have got it here.
    58
    59   Q.   Could you turn up tab 102, please -- sorry 39, not 152, 102
    60        is the page number.  You were a member of London Greenpeace