New code of conduct rules | The inspection agency has been criticized for irregular service and poor communications
When agriculture minister Gerry Ritz announced a strengthened code of conduct for how the Canadian Food Inspection Agency deals with its clients, British Columbia cattle producers took some quiet credit.
In a Winnipeg speech last week, Ritz announced a CFIA “statement of rights and service for producers, consumers and other stakeholders” as well as a new “complaints and appeals” office in the agency.
“Like any industry, the agriculture and food processing sector needs to know for certain that their dealings with a public institution will be carried out predictably, fairly and consistently,” he said at the University of Manitoba.
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“Building trust and confidence be-tween two parties is critical. Unfortunately, this trust has been difficult to maintain with irregular service, different applications of the regulations and poor communication.”
It was an acknowledgement of criticisms of CFIA and its poor communication record.
“Clearer communication about what people can expect from the CFIA will ultimately lead to a stronger food safety system and better ways to prevent, detect and correct problems,” Ritz said.
Kevin Boon of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association said Ritz’s announcement is a direct result of a 2009 incident during which as many as 20,000 B.C. cattle were quarantined because of false anaplasmosis tests.
“There were complaints, and this seriously affected a number of ranchers,” said Boon.
“CFIA did not deal with the complaints properly. I think that really set off red lights with the minister once we met with Mr. Ritz. I see this as a direct result of that incident.”
Ted Johnston, president of the Alberta Food Processors Associa tion, also has a bone to pick with the CFIA over how it enforces its rules and deals with its clients.
Affected industry has had no ability to appeal CFIA decisions, he told MPs on the House of Commons agriculture committee Feb. 29.
“There are a number of areas with CFIA where there has been no appeal,” said Johnston.
“We have example after example where a CFIA inspector may walk into your plant on a Thursday afternoon and say, ‘no, that’s it. You’re done,’ and there is no recourse.”
He said the processing industry wants a CFIA ombudsman appointed to handle complaints.
Ritz’s response was to announce the creation of a Complaints and Appeals office within CFIA. It will open April 1 and be staffed by Cathy Airth, chief officer of the agency’s Integrity and Redress Secretariat.
The agriculture minister said it will be a “single window for industry to register complaints.”
“These complaints could range from administrative errors, service quality or regulatory inaccuracies,” he said.
“The office will also allow the agency to look at trends, and if they notice anything unusual, such as similar complaints in one region, further action can be taken. CFIA can then plan for additional training, change in guidance or even a change in the regulations.”
He said the new complaints office will take two years to be fine-tuned.
“This will allow regulatory decisions and service quality issues to be more thoroughly addressed,” said Ritz. “Our government is not shy from identifying problems and proposing doing what is necessary to find a solution.”
Ritz said the CFIA will have to adhere to a standard of fairness, ethical behaviour and efficiency. He credited the Canadian Federation of Independent Business with helping design the new rules.
“It is the right of citizens and regulated parties alike to know how government will conduct itself and it is the duty of government to be held to standards,” he said.
Dairy Farmers of Canada issued a supportive statement and argued that part of the new standard should be more truthful product labelling for consumers.
