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And as a result, the Vimy Foundation, whose mandate is to “promote Canada’s First World War legacy,” and a smaller group called Vimy Oaks Legacy, agreed to send only acorns, not trees, to France, hoping they can be planted there and produce tiny seedlings in time for the 100th anniversary of the war’s end.

Internal documents at CFIA, obtained by Ottawa researcher Ken Rubin, reveal the behind-the-scenes story of how Canada failed in repeated efforts to send a gift of trees.

The foundation called its plan “a living memorial, planted in France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.”

Then it got the rejection from CFIA: “I unfortunately must inform you that it will not be possible for the CFIA to certify the oak trees for export to France,” the federal agency wrote last fall.

“As explained in our email correspondence over the past months, the EU has strict phytosanitary import requirements for oak trees to prevent the introduction of several regulated quarantine plant pests, especially Cronartium spp., Cryphonectria parasitica, Bemisia tabaci and Xylella fastidiosa. These pests are all know to be present in Canada.”

Since Canada doesn’t conduct surveys to find the pests in question, the EU believes they could, potentially, be anywhere in Canada. And certifying a nursery here as disease-free would take years.

But there’s no rule demanding that acorns be certified as pest-free. So, acorns it is.

“I understand the concern that acorns in the ground will not be as appealing as trees for the 2017 ceremonies at Vimy, but the CFIA has reviewed all the information available and this is the only feasible option,” the CFIA wrote to the Vimy Foundation.