Harper takes election cover under food inspection inquiry

Critics see it as a cynical ploy to deflect criticism during campaign period

Ottawa (5 Sep. 2008) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is using the promise of a public inquiry to shield his government from allegations of a negligent Conservative attitude toward food inspection in Canada.

Preparing to call a federal election for Oct. 14, Harper announced plans this week for an inquiry during a campaign visit to Windsor. It will begin when the current crisis over tainted meat subsides, he said.

The news drew immediate accusations that he is attempting to deflect attention away from the Conservative food inspection record until the campaign is over.

So far, at least 13 people have died in a cross-country listeriosis outbreak linked to poison meats distributed by the Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto. Dozens more have fallen ill.

Hundreds of meat products have been recalled. Ivanhoe Cheese Inc. also announced this week that a number of cheese products from its plant in Madoc, Ont., are being recalled.

Behind the scenes

Harper's declaration of concern for the food supply stands in sharp contrast to what has been transpiring for months behind the scenes in Ottawa.

A cabinet document leaked to the media during the summer outlined a plan to shift from a "full-time presence" of veterinarians and inspectors at abattoirs in Canada to an "oversight role" that would allow the meat industry "to implement food safety control programs and to manage key risks."

As a result, Opposition Leader Stéphane Dion demanded the resignation of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, accusing him of misleading Canadians about the safety of the food system.

Ritz confirmed that a revised inspection plan is in the works but he said it has not yet been implemented. He tried to brush off the leaked document, which indicated the scheme was approved at the cabinet level as far back as last November but delayed until a detailed implementation plan could be worked out with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The document was leaked by a CFIA employee, Luc Pomerleau, who forwarded a copy to his union. It outlined plans to privatize federal food safety inspection and product labelling. Pomerleau was fired by the CFIA for breaching security.

'Scapegoat'

The New Democratic Party has demanded that Pomerleau be reinstated. He was fired by the CFIA for gross misconduct and breaching security even though the document was not marked confidential.

“From a labour perspective, this is completely unacceptable,” said NDP Labour Critic Libby Davies, MP for Vancouver East. “If CFIA executives considered this document confidential, then this was a case of negligence on their part. Mr. Pomerleau shouldn’t have been made a scapegoat, and he should be reinstated immediately.”

“The real reason the CFIA over reacted is that the government fears the public’s reaction to its move towards privatizing food inspection and labeling,” added NDP Agriculture Critic Alex Atamanenko, MP for British Columbia Southern Interior.

“It’s disgraceful that the Conservatives are willing to jeopardize the health and safety of Canadians just to save a few dollars, and that they’re going to such extreme measures to hide this issue from the public.”

Liberal agricultural critic Wayne Easter dismissed the inquiry as a diversionary tactic, arguing that what needs to be examined most is the way the Conservatives have handled the outbreak.

Walkerton

The crisis is reminiscent of the poison water scandal that rocked Walkerton, Ont., in 2000. It was caused in part by government cutbacks and a deliberate weakening of provincial inspection and safety procedures adopted by another Conservative government - the Ontario regime of Premier Mike Harris. Seven people died at Walkerton and more than 2,000 cases of illness resulted.

Charlie Bagnato, the mayor of Walkerton, added his voice this week to the call for an inquiry, describing the listeria outbreak as "outrageous" and noting that Harper's cabinet includes some of the same ministers that were in the Harris government.

“There are currently three federal Conservative cabinet ministers shaping policy for the Harper government who also sat around the Mike Harris cabinet table when decisions were made to cut programs, privatize and regulate. They include Health Minister Tony Clement, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Environment Minister John Baird," he said.

“Governments should have learned from the mistakes that led to the tragedy in Walkerton. I am completely shocked that Mr. Harper has opted to make the same mistakes nationally that led to our disaster. Food security should never be placed on the chopping block in the name of cost cutting.”

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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring that our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE