Conservative Ideology Puts Canadian Food Safety At Risk
A cornerstone of right wing thinking is that the Federal government should not interfere with the private sector. The less interference the better. However, the citizens of Canada expect our Federal governement to facilitate the security and safety of its citizens.
Last week, Harper and his Conservatives took major steps to place responsibility for Canada's food safety in the hands of the corporations who process, package and distribute what we eat. The Conservatives care nothing for the health and safety of Canadians if there is a 5% budget savings that can be made.
"OTTAWA - A government plan to transfer key parts of food inspection to industry so companies can police themselves will put the health of Canadians at risk, say leading food safety experts who have reviewed the confidential blueprint.
The plan, drafted by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and approved by the Treasury Board, details sweeping changes coming to food inspection in Canada.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is also ending funding to producers to test cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease) as part of a surveillance program, the document indicates, a move that is expected to save the agency about $24 million over the next three years.
The new system, part of a push to trim the agency's budget by five per cent, was approved last November, but a public announcement "has been deferred owing to significant communications risks," according to the confidential Treasury Board document obtained by Canwest News Service."
Edmonton Journal
Last week, Harper and his Conservatives took major steps to place responsibility for Canada's food safety in the hands of the corporations who process, package and distribute what we eat. The Conservatives care nothing for the health and safety of Canadians if there is a 5% budget savings that can be made.
"OTTAWA - A government plan to transfer key parts of food inspection to industry so companies can police themselves will put the health of Canadians at risk, say leading food safety experts who have reviewed the confidential blueprint.
The plan, drafted by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and approved by the Treasury Board, details sweeping changes coming to food inspection in Canada.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is also ending funding to producers to test cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease) as part of a surveillance program, the document indicates, a move that is expected to save the agency about $24 million over the next three years.
The new system, part of a push to trim the agency's budget by five per cent, was approved last November, but a public announcement "has been deferred owing to significant communications risks," according to the confidential Treasury Board document obtained by Canwest News Service."
Edmonton Journal
It costs the agency only 5% to deliver such an important public service? In terms of government delivery, that sounds pretty efficient. Just another example of how Canadians are being screwed by Harper as his not so new government stands up for corporations.
Posted by
Beijing York |
9:59 am, July 15, 2008
Conservatives only care about your security and safety if they can use it as an excuse to make a bigger armed forces for them to play with.
Guaranteed, if you could find a way to beat BSE, salmonella or E. Coli by shooting at it in a foreign country, the Conservatives would be all over your "safety".
Posted by
Greg |
10:55 am, July 15, 2008
And for the sake of a 5% budget savings they put our children and ALL citizen's health at risk!
Posted by
leftdog |
11:15 am, July 15, 2008
. . .The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is also ending funding to producers to test cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease) as part of a surveillance program, the document indicates, a move that is expected to save the agency about $24 million over the next three years. . . .
----------------
It's a false economy when a $24 million savings might bring about
BSE or some other awful situation such as have been happening in the US recently.
Remember all that hamburger that was tainted and had to be destroyed? [Train]carloads of it!
There have been other meat recalls
in the US but the carloads was the one that gained greatest prominence.
Does the benefit that a $24 million savings engender outweigh the risk of food poisoning on a large scale?
Can we afford to take that risk?
It's a false economy.
When you start cutting corners, you end up going round in circles.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:45 am, July 15, 2008
By my calculations, Harper will save $24 million over 3 years by ending testing for 'Mad Cow disease.' That amounts to less than 30 cents per year per Canadian! Yet we have Billion$ for Afghanistan!
Bloody criminal if you ask me!
Posted by
leftdog |
12:14 pm, July 15, 2008