Genomics opens up a universe of new possibilities, but also raises many ethical issues. For example, how can ethical judgements be made on genomic knowledge and applications when there is no single accepted ethical theory to determine right and wrong? How can claims about the economic, environmental, social or health effects of genomics be evaluated against competing claims and alternatives? These are important issues, given Canada’s cultural and regional diversity, and the way new genomic knowledge and applications tend to move societal debates to new territory.