(Canadian Food Inspection Agency) Minister Over the past few years, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has been working on proposals to modernize, consolidate and enhance its legislative base.
As a result of all this hard work, I am pleased to inform you of the introduction of the proposed
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Enforcement Act in the House of Commons on November 26th, 2004.The focus of this
Act is to modernize, consolidate and enhance inspection and enforcement authorities to protect the Canadian food supply and animal and plant resource base. It consolidates existing inspection and enforcement powers and
authorities from the CFIA's current legislative base, providing a uniform set of powers for all inspectors of all commodities, and a more consistent and comprehensive approach to inspection, enforcement and compliance
activities. The Act will introduce efficiencies, in terms of inspectors doing their jobs - working from one statute
instead of ten and providing greater clarity for regulated parties through increased consistency
amongst commodities.
The Act will modernize outdated legislation and fill a number of gaps and inconsistencies with respect to inspection and enforcement authorities in the current legislative base. The proposed
Act will introduce new inspection and enforcement powers that will allow the CFIA to enhance the protection of Canada's food supply and its animal and plant resource base. The new provisions include the authority to
hold products while awaiting test results (similar to existing U.S. authority), and the authority to order the removal of imported products that do not meet CFIA legislative and regulatory requirements. The proposed Act
also contains provisions to make tampering with regulated food products, their containers, or their labels (or threatening to do so) illegal.
Maintaining a safe food supply and protecting Canadian consumers is
the number one priority of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The proposed Canadian Food Inspection Agency Enforcement Act is a step in the right direction, providing the legislative framework for further regulatory
review. Through it, we will be better equipped to protect Canada's food supply and animal and plant resource base, delivering safe foods to consumers.
As you know, the CFIA has been working over the years to
modernize and consolidate its legislative base, and you or your officials will be familiar with the various aspects of the proposed Act.
An information package on the proposed Act is available on the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency Web site. Contact Kristine Stolarik, Executive Director, Liaison, Preparedness and Policy Co-ordination, at (613)
225-2343, ext. 4143, for further information.
In the meantime, the overriding message we wish to convey on behalf of the Agency is that of "business as usual" as this Bill is not yet law. As this
Government of Canada legislative proposal makes its way through the Parliamentary process to becoming law, staff and stakeholders will be kept informed of its progress.
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