Posts tagged Federal politics

Food inspectors ask: what’s in your sandwich?

Feb 16th, 2010

Posted by Jim Thompson in Press Release

MPs can vote for food safety even during prorogation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa – On behalf of the 11 to 13 million Canadians who are sickened every year by the food they eat, the food inspectors union delivered an electronic “sandwich” to every MP today which contains critical information about the risks Canadians face by eating everyday [...]

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Feeling queasy

Feb 10th, 2010

Posted by Jim Thompson in Media Story

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Ottawa Citizen Editorial 
It has been 18 months since 22 Canadians died after eating tainted meat and, despite government assurances that food safety systems are more effective than ever, consumers ought to be skeptical.  [More...]

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Government gets failing grade on food safety

Jan 28th, 2010

Posted by Jim Thompson in Media Story

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By Christina Spencer, Parliamentary Bureau SUN News Service
OTTAWA — The union representing federal meat inspectors has given the government a failing grade for moving too slowly to boost food safety since the listeriosis outbreak of 2008 that killed at least 22 people.  [More]

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Food inspection agency hasn’t acted on safety recommendations: report

Jan 27th, 2010

Posted by Jim Thompson in Media Story

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By Sarah Schmidt, Canwest News Service
OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Wednesday received a failing grade from its own meat inspectors for not acting on the “vast majority” of recommendations made six months ago to improve food safety. [More]

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Federal Government gets failing grade on food safety

Jan 27th, 2010

Posted by Jim Thompson in Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa – Inaction on food safety has earned the federal government a failing grade six months after the Prime Minister’s special investigator Sheila Weatherill tabled recommendations on how to prevent a repeat of the Maple Leaf Foods listeriosis outbreak which killed 22 people and sickened many more.
A mid-term report card on the government’s [...]

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Listeriosis report slams leadership

Jul 22nd, 2009

Posted by Jim Thompson in Media Story

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Minister rules out any compensation for victims’ families
By: Sarah Schmidt and Meagan Fitzpatrick, National Post
A “void in leadership” within the federal government during last summer’s deadly listeriosis outbreak came after company officials and over-worked meat inspectors failed to identify a persistent listeria problem at the Maple Leaf Foods plant, according to a highly critical report [...]

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Food safety investigation falls short

Jul 21st, 2009

Posted by Jim Thompson in Press Release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Inspector shortage compromising food safety
Ottawa – Many of Sheila Weatherill’s recommendations make a constructive and valuable contribution to improving the safety of food in Canada and should be implemented immediately, even though it appears that the CFIA and others in government have either withheld information or misled her, according to the union representing [...]

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Food safety report sets a prudent course on inspector shortage

Jun 18th, 2009

Posted by Jim Thompson in Press Release

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Ottawa – The federal government should move quickly to implement recommendations concerning food inspection resources contained in a report tabled in Parliament this morning, according to the Agriculture Union – PSAC, which represents government food inspectors.
Following two months of public hearings, the parliamentary food safety committee expressed concern about the inspector shortage and CFIA’s inability [...]

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Meat safety inspection spread too thin

May 25th, 2009

Posted by Jim Thompson in Press Release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa – A new staffing survey shows the critical shortage of inspectors in meat processing plants in Canada continues to make it impossible for federal inspectors to verify industry compliance with safety rules.
“These numbers show an inspectorate staffed far below minimum levels.  With individual inspectors being in charge of five facilities on average [...]

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Few trust companies over food safety: Poll

May 12th, 2009

Posted by Jim Thompson in Media Story

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By: Sarah Schmidt, The Vancouver Province
OTTAWA — Most Canadians don’t trust the food industry to ensure their products are safe and want the government to be more hands-on in policing food companies, according to national survey.
The survey of 1,001 Canadians, with findings to be released today, determined that only 13.7 per cent put their faith [...]