Conservatives creating a two-tier food inspection system

The union that represents federal food inspectors revealed details today that suggest Conservatives are failing to keep Canadian food safe. Internal documents show that staff at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have been instructed to cut vital, preventative safety measures as a result of recent budget cuts.

“Conservatives are reducing the number of domestic inspection resources to pre-listeriosis crisis levels and I find that incredibly worrying,” said NDP Agriculture and Agri-food critic Malcolm Allen (Welland). “The CFIA exists to protect Canadian families and reassure us that the food we purchase every day is safe.”

The inspectors in question were hired as a result of the fatal listeriosis crisis in 2008 and have been providing a vital service to protect Canadians’ safety when they purchase food. These cuts mean less oversight for the food inspection process. As a result, inspectors are prioritizing export-bound meat inspection over domestic meat inspection creating a two-tier food inspection system.

“Today’s revelations are just another reminder that Conservatives care are more interested in ideological cuts than protecting Canadians’ safety and faith in our food industry,” added Allen. “New Democrats are calling for a reversal of these food safety cuts so Canadian consumers can be assured that the food on their table is safe.”