To the Editor:
At federal budget time last spring, I raised concerns about Stephen Harper slashing the Government of Canada at the expense of public safety.
Keeping Canadians healthy and safe is every government's first obligation.
So it's odd to see so many Conservative cuts eroding border services, prison security, our spy agency, maritime search-and-rescue, consumer product labeling, emergency planning, environmental protection, crime prevention and, of course, food safety.
About the latter - Canadians want to be absolutely confident about the quality and integrity of our food supply. Like Medicare, hockey, the Rockies and the Roughriders, our superlative food system is a defining characteristic of this country, but we can't take it for granted.
In the biggest E.coli-tainted meat recall in Canadian history, the behaviour of the slaughterhouse at the root of it all (XL Foods at Brooks, AB) has been an appalling combination of incompetence, indifference and arrogance. And the federal government is no better.
The contamination originated on August 24th. But it was only detected 12 days later (Sept. 4th), when US authorities reported unacceptable E.coli levels in beef exported to them. Agriculture Minister Ritz was informed the very next day, but trouble persisted.
On September 13th, Canada's Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ordered XL to stop exporting to the Americans. But it took another three days (Sept. 16th) before any public warnings were issued to Canadians, and another 11 days (Sept. 27th) before the plant was shut-down.
Product recalls have skyrocketed, and four directly connected illnesses have been confirmed. The company recently issued an anonymous recording to admit its errors. CFIA is now saying it "won't pretend" mistakes weren't made. But the Harper Cabinet continues in absolute denial.
They claim they've hired more meats inspectors, but they can't say exactly who they are, what jobs they perform or where they're located. They claim CFIA has all the money it needs, but they won't explain a $56-million cut in last spring's budget. They claim their system has functioned well, but why then are consumers, cattle producers, processors and exporters suffering crippling losses and other damages.
What does this fiasco have in common with the deadly listeriosis crisis in Canadian meat products in 2008? In both cases, Gerry Ritz was in charge.
Ralph Goodale, MP, Wascana, SK.
