Posts tagged Food Inspectors
Report calls for listeria inquiry
Jun 19th, 2009
Panel blames ‘turf wars’ for time lost in warning public about meat crisis By: Robert Cribb, Toronto Star Canadians need a full public inquiry into the death of 22 Canadians from last summer’s listeria outbreak and increased inspection oversight in meat plants, a parliamentary investigation has concluded. After two months of hearings, the parliamentary food [...]
Food safety report sets a prudent course on inspector shortage
Jun 18th, 2009
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 [...]
Meat safety inspection spread too thin
May 25th, 2009
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 [...]
Canada’s food safety in question
May 25th, 2009
Inspection understaffed, warns union By: Sarah Schmidt, The Windsor Star Government meat inspectors in Canada’s biggest cities would have to work double shifts on a regular basis to complete all the tasks required to make sure operators are complying with food safety rules, according to newly released data from their union. The agriculture union of [...]
Few meat inspectors mean more ‘shortcuts’
May 25th, 2009
By: Robert Cribb, Toronto Star Federal meat inspectors are each responsible for monitoring about five plants on average – a workload that makes ensuring safe food impossible, says their union. In a staffing survey to be released today, the agriculture union says it’s impossible for meat inspectors to complete minimum safety tasks in more than [...]
CFIA can’t track meat-inspector numbers
Mar 26th, 2009
By: Sarah Schmidt, The Ottawa Citizen The Canadian Food Inspection Agency cannot be sure how many meat inspectors are stationed at plants across the country, according to an agency briefing note released to parliamentarians as they begin their investigation into the state of food safety. The document didn’t sit well with members of the special [...]
Food agency can’t count staff
Mar 26th, 2009
By: Joanna Smith, Toronto Star OTTAWA–The federal food safety watchdog told a parliamentary committee it does not know how many meat inspectors it employs eight months after a nationwide outbreak of deadly listeriosis bacteria found in ready-to-eat meats. “Given that there are a number of positions that are multi-purpose, in that they do not focus [...]
Inspectors call for Parliamentary Investigation into Food Safety
Jan 20th, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ottawa – Canada’s food inspectors’ union is urging Parliamentarians to step in and conduct an investigation into the listeriosis outbreak last summer that left at least 20 Canadians dead after eating contaminated Maple Leaf cold cuts. “We welcome, with reservations, today’s appointment of Sheila Weatherill to conduct the Prime Minister’s investigation of [...]
Food industry not trusted to police itself, poll suggests
Sep 29th, 2008
CBC News A majority of Canadians believe that allowing the food industry to police itself puts the public health at risk, according to a new poll. The survey, commissioned by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, suggests eight of every 10 Canadians want the current government to reverse a decision to cut [...]
