The so-called leaders in Canadian agriculture and food research have flubbed again, judging by the announcement that McGill University will become home to Canada’s first academic chair in food safety.
The leaders chose the University of Guelph to be home to their plans for a synergistic national centre for food safety research. The federal government moved researchers from the Ottawa area and stations across Canada to Guelph. The provincial government added support.
But now McGill has stolen their thunder with support from Kellogg’s and Nestlé to bolster a gift of $1.5 million from Ian and Jayne Cantox to fund creation of the chair.
And why, pray tell, has there not been a chair in food safety at the University of Guelph? And why do Canadians still need to traipse down to the United States for university training in food safety? For that matter, why have agriculture and food programs gone into decline at the University of Guelph and why is the Ontario Agricultural College suffering greater percentage cuts than any of the university’s other colleges?
You can ask, but don’t expect any apologies or changes of direction from the people in charge.
