The “Great Cheese Debate” on Parliament Hill last week was a classic illustration of the very distorted political system that Canadians have given themselves. Viewed through the prism of Quebec-Canada politics, almost anything can become a national-unity issue.
In early April, Health Canada published regulations proposing to ban sale or import of raw milk cheeses, claiming the bacteria could be a health hazard. The public comment period ends in mid-June.
The Quebec media jumped on the story, noting the Quebecois love of strong cheese and the small but growing raw cheese industry in the province.
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Quebec’s National Assembly passed a unanimous resolution demanding that Ottawa back off.
The separatist Bloc Quebecois saw political gold in the cheese fiasco.
It is another federal attack on a Quebec industry, Bloc MPs thundered, another example of Canada’s insensitivity to Quebec’s distinct character, which apparently includes a love of odorous cheese.
Before the week was out, even the Reform Party was playing the game, asking questions in French about this latest example of heavy-handed federal interference in “la Belle Province.”
The whole affair gave the Liberals a black eye and left the public with the impression that government once again was trying to interfere in the lives of God-fearing, smelly-cheese-loving Canadians without logic or facts on its side.
What is wrong with this picture?
As it turns out, almost everything.
Canadians may disagree with the proposal to require more bacteria-free cheese but the political stink that has been raised reflects rhetorical illusion rather than reality. The entire uproar left Dairy Farmers of Canada executive secretary Richard Doyle shaking his head in frustration. He has been involved with the issue for years. “This is ridiculous, a circus not based on the facts,” he said.
The regulations actually were written in 1991, after extensive discussion between the government, dairy farmers, provinces and the dairy processing industry.
All agreed there is a health risk and all agreed it was a “normal evolution” to ban cheese made from unpasteurized milk, since all other unpasteurized dairy products have been banned for health reasons.
At the time, all the provinces agreed. Quebec began to issue permits for raw milk cheese plants later, after it knew the new controls were coming and had approved them.”Now, suddenly, this is an attack on an industry that the government allowed to start after it knew the rules would change,” scoffed Doyle. “Give me a break.”
Oh yes, and the idea that this is a Quebec issue? Doyle notes that British Columbia, Manitoba and New Brunswick have had raw milk cheese plants for years, long before Quebec got into the business.
Still, politics being politics, the government is on the run, trying to do damage control by agreeing to establish a panel of experts on the issue.
“There may be some other way to do this but listen, this issue has been around for five years and everyone agreed,” said Doyle. “Now, in 1996, it is a crisis.”
“That’s politics.”
