A political spat last week between the minority Liberal government and the opposition majority on the House of Commons agriculture committee threatened to scuttle new legislation for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The row broke out when opposition MPs used their majority to make amendments the government said it could not live with.
Their vote would limit the ability of the CFIA to recoup from farmers or companies costs that the agency incurred inspecting, seizing or destroying unfit product.
Opposition MPs said only farmers or companies that deliberately try to skirt the system should be liable for costs.
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Wayne Easter, the Liberal MP in charge of shepherding the bill through committee, said it was unacceptable.
“I do think we will have to withdraw the bill because we can’t impose the liability for irresponsible business on the taxpayers of Canada,” fumed the Prince Edward Island MP who is parliamentary secretary to agriculture minister Andy Mitchell.
“We just can’t do that.”
By June 20, he had cooled off a bit.
He said the government has decided to allow the process to continue at committee, putting off the political showdown until the autumn when Parliament resumes sitting after a three-month summer break that begins this week.
Many farm groups urged the government not to kill a bill that they believe has been improved during the committee hearings.
The legislation is designed to give the CFIA a legislative base while fixing more control over it through an ombudsman and an advisory committee. The bill, if approved, also would stop companies from using dairy terms on labels if the product does not contain dairy products.
“I think there have been improvements to the bill and I hope they make progress in getting it through,” said Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Bob Friesen.
Throughout the hearings, opposition MPs have been trying to increase control over the agency that many of their constituents complain is too heavy handed.
The potentially bill-killing row broke out June 14 when Conservative, Bloc Québécois and NDP committee members voted to delete two clauses from the bill that would allow CFIA cost recovery powers.
Conservative Gerry Ritz said amendments from the government making it clear that a farmer or company innocent of any deliberate attempt to circumvent the food safety and inspection system should not be liable for “an onerous bill.”
Easter said there are appeal processes for producers alleging agency wrongdoing but taxpayers must be protected from large costs caused by sloppy or negligent business practices.
Easter said in the autumn, the government may try to secure enough votes in the full House of Commons to overturn the committee amendments.
“A vote in the House is one of the possibilities,” he said. “We will see at that stage what the best way is to proceed. There cannot be unlimited taxpayer liability. We will be looking for the best way of ensuring that.”
