After just two years as president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and in the midst of a two-year CFIA push to create new food safety regulations, Saskatchewan native George Da Pont is moving on.
Prime minister Stephen Harper announced that Da Pont will become deputy health minister effective Aug. 12. It is a major promotion for the 26-year veteran of the federal public service.
He will be replaced as CFIA president by Bruce Archibald, a longtime Ontario government employee who currently serves as president of the Federal Economic Development Agency for southern Ontario.
Read Also
Canadian economy going ‘under the speed limit,’ says FCC analyst
Farm Credit Canada outlined less than impressive numbers for Canada’s economy Sept. 18, and that will spill over into agriculture.
He is a former deputy agriculture minister in Ontario and has a PhD in environmental toxicology.
Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Ron Bonnett said in an interview Da Pont brought a culture of transparency and co-operation to the CFIA.
“I think he did a good job.”
And as a former president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Bonnett worked with Archibald.
“Bruce is a straight shooter and I think he’ll be a good fit at CFIA,” he said.
Da Pont leaves the agency in the midst of its attempt to create regulations that will give life to the Safe Food for Canadians Act approved by Parliament last year but not in effect until regulations are written and implemented.
Da Pont has broad federal government experience ranging from Indian Affairs and Northern Development to Fisheries and Oceans Canada to a term as commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard before joining CFIA as executive vice-president, replacing Brian Evans.
