The Parliamentary sub-committee on Food Safety released its final report today. Maple Leaf welcomed the opportunity to participate in the investigation.  My own testimony spoke to the need we saw for a much stronger set of regulatory requirements, especially in the area of testing, and resources such as the number of CFIA inspectors. 

The final outcome is a comprehensive report that has important implications for strengthening the food safety system in Canada and builds on the stringent new Listeria policy introduced in April this year which we believe makes for a safer system.  The report also provides clear direction for further improvement. 

In terms of key recommendations and improvements, Maple Leaf reinforces the following:

•          We continue to believe that the patchwork of existing regulatory regimes be pulled together as one national standard.  Consumers shouldn’t need to worry about whether the food they purchase is made in a federally or provincially regulated plant or imported from other countries. All food for sale in Canada should meet a consistent and enforced standard.

•          Maple Leaf supports the call for a comprehensive review of CFIA resources, recognizing that there must be sufficient inspectors to ensure compliance with tough new standards with the necessary training to conduct sophisticated root cause analysis of test results to identify potential risks.

•          Maple Leaf continues to advocate for any changes that result in faster identification of proven food safety risk, whether through increased inter-governmental and agency coordination or through accelerated testing and expansion of laboratory capacity.

There will continue to be global advancements in food safety knowledge and technology and it is our promise to learn from these and implement ongoing improvements. We will also be strong advocates for food safety with industry and government, sharing what we know and pushing to raise the bar to protect consumers. After the tragedy of last August, which resulted in the death of 22 Canadians, it is our responsibility to be a leader in food safety; a responsibility we take extremely seriously.