One year after 22 Canadians died from tainted Maple Leaf Foods cold cuts, the federal government has finally stepped forward and made a new investment in food safety. Government safety inspectors will now have more of the resources they need to verify that factories which produce cold cuts and other ready-to-eat meat products are following safety rules.
But other inspection programs remain woefully and dangerously understaffed.
For example, there are only two consumer protection inspectors covering all retail food stores in the entire City of Toronto! And the inspection programs for fish processing and slaughter establishments are almost as short staffed, posing real and significant public health risks.
Before we have another food poisoning outbreak that claims more victims, please ask Prime Minister Harper to fix the food safety deficit. We need more inspectors and less industry self-policing when it comes to safety.
Dear Prime Minister Harper and the House of Commons Committee on Agriculture,
We all expect the food we buy to be safe and it is government's job to make sure it is.
That is why I was shocked to learn of the scope of the inspector shortage; there are only two consumer protection inspectors covering all retail food stores in the entire City of Toronto, for example.
I have read that inspection programs for fish processing and slaughter establishments are almost as short staffed. This poses a real and significant public health risk that I urge you to address right away.
I know your government has recently announced new resources for inspection of ready to eat meat products. You deserve credit for that even though it took 22 deaths to get action.
As the Maple Leaf tragedy so clearly demonstrated, industry cannot be left on its own when it comes to safety. Proper inspection is essential.
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Please don't wait for more people to die before you address the inspection deficit for all food products the federal government regulates.
