Dear Editor: Thank
you for your excellent editorial about the nation's "unsafe food
supply" [Tuesday October 9]. You remind us that the federal government
imposed severe cutbacks on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency,
"shifting food inspection from independent government agents to the
industry itself". The 2008 listeriosis outbreak and now this XL beef
recall provide abundant evidence that industry should not be left to
self-regulate and that the government should immediately reinstate a
full team of CIFA inspectors.
This same federal government is terminating our St
Andrews Biological Station toxicology and contaminants staff, as well as
their colleagues across Canada. We have long relied on these
government scientists to monitor the safety and well-being of our fish
and their habitat. When their work stops, and the toxicology and
contaminants lab is gone, how will we know that our fish is healthy,
safe and fit to eat?
Farmers, you tell us, urged that CIFA inspectors be
retained. Our local fisheries and aquaculture similarly need the
expertise of independent government toxicology and contaminants
scientists. Without such expertise, we risk eating tainted fish.
Without such expertise, our visitors, tourists and customers risk being
poisoned. Without such expertise, we risk a US alert on our fishery
and aquaculture products and a consequent shutdown of this important
local industry.
No cost-saving can justify these risks. It's time to
reinstate a full team of CIFA inspectors . It is also time to reinstate
and retain government toxicology and contaminants departments here and
across Canada.
Jane Doull St Andrews |
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