Canada's Meat Inspectors Tell Special Hearings Into Listeria Deaths That They are Over-Worked
The special hearings on the state of food safety in Canada --called after people consumed meat contaminated with listeria last summer from a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto, resulting in the death of 22 Canadians---continue up north.
Latest to weigh in with their opinions are Canada's meat inspectors.
According to the Vancouver Sun, front-line meat inspectors and supervisors on Monday told parliamentarians they were "grossly" understaffed prior to the outbreak and more resources are still needed to ensure food is safe to eat.
It was the first public comment by the meat inspectors since last summers deadly listeriosis outbreak.
"We want to ensure process meat inspectors are responsible for no more than two RTE (ready-to-eat) facilities," said Agriculture Union president Bob Kingston at a parliamentary subcommittee.
Kingston said meat inspectors in Canada are overworked making it impossible for them to carry out their duties.
Mandatory quarterly and annual audits were not completed at the Maple Leaf Foods plant, which he said lead to CFIA "missing the signs of trouble in May and June, just before the outbreak."
There is more on what the MPs are being told in the Vancouver Sun here, and Toronto Star here.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is in the running as one of the nominees for the prestigious Code of Silence award, recognizing the most secretive government, department or agency in Canada. The award is made by Canadian Association of Journalists and the winner will be made at Saturday in Vancouver at CAJ's annual gala. The Association has 1,300 members from across Canada. 