BY MOST accounts, Sheila Weatherill’s investigation into last year’s listeriosis outbreak that killed 22 Canadians is thorough.
The investigation team conducted more than 100 interviews, and accumulated about five million pages of information during the six month probe.
The report not only looks into the causes of the deadly outbreak, but also identifies major areas in need of change to prevent future similar incidents. It also makes recommendations designed to improve Canada’s overall food safety system.
The question that remains is whether it will be enough.
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In her report, Weatherill pointed to a “vacuum in senior leadership” within the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. That vacuum led to a delay in the response to the crisis.
She also pointed to overworked federal meat inspectors at the Toronto plant where the tainted meat originated as a contributing factor.
The Maple Leaf facility where the outbreak began detected listeria in 2007 and 2008, but thought the problem was under control. However, the company did not conduct an overall trend analysis to root out possible underlying causes and was not required to report the instances to CFIA.
Weatherill also said there was confusion between levels of government and government agencies as to which organization was responsible for which role.
The report did not blame any specific person or organization but painted a picture of a system with serious flaws.
The report recommends an overhaul of food safety laws, better communications and better emergency preparedness.
Among the 57 recommendations:
n The chief public health officer should be given a greater role in future incidents involving food borne illnesses.
n Food processors should be forced to inform the government of suspected health risks. Plants that regularly test positive for potential illness-causing bacteria should be tested more often.
n Manufacturers should design meat processing equipment that is easier to clean.
Weatherill also called for an independent auditor to assess whether there are enough food inspectors to properly do the job.
It is a sweeping and highly critical document.
But questions remain.
Is a report from a Conservative-appointed investigator who carried out the work in private enough to restore public confidence?
Many critics, especially opposition party members, will never see it as enough until a complete public inquiry is held.
We have argued in the past that a full public airing may be the only way to restore public trust. We’ll reserve judgment on that call until we see how seriously and how quickly the federal government acts on Weatherill’s recommendations.
If it gives the recommendations the attention they deserve, they could go a long way to addressing the horrendous breakdowns that led to last year’s tragedy.
Adopting the recommendations could also bolster our food safety system and help avert similar tragedies in the future.
