MPs preparing for hearings into last year’s deadly listeriosis outbreak heard allegations April 20 from the union representing federal food inspectors.
The Agricultural Union of the Public Service Alliance of Canada told MPs in a three page briefing note that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will reduce operational budgets by 10 to 15 percent to create an emergency fund to deal with future food-borne illness outbreaks.
“When it comes to delivering the legally required oversight of Canada’s meat and food safety systems, it’s mission impossible for CFIA,” the memo said.
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“The agency simply does not have the resources to do the job Canadians expect and the CFIA’s own policy demands.”
The union urged the seven MPs on the special subcommittee on food safety to investigate and make recommendations on “the food safety inspection shortfall at the CFIA.”
The CFIA quickly countered what the union called the “unvarnished truth” about the state of the agency.
It said in an e-mail that a $20 million emergency fund has existed since 2003 and it was not created by cutting the budget.
“There is no 10-15 percent reduction in CFIA’s operational budgets.”
As well, the agency dismissed a union prediction that budget cuts would delay the hiring of more inspectors.
“The CFIA’s 2009-10 budget is stable and includes incremental food safety action plan funds announced in budget 2008, which also includes funds to augment front-line services,” the statement said.
However, it said the agency also regularly reallocates funds to higher priority projects.
“Our goal is to ensure that funds are made available to the highest priority activities of the agency,” it said.
“This allocation process does not affect inspection activities of the CFIA, including hiring inspectors. The emergency fund is part of the overall allocation.”
The union memo said the agency does not have the personnel to conduct regular full systems audits of meat plants.
“The inspector shortage has derailed these extensive audits because they require several CFIA staff for up to five days at a time,” it said.
