The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is among a group of
federal government departments and agencies that’s refusing to reveal details
about how it’s implementing a new round of budget cuts announced in the March
12 budget.
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| Gerry Ritz is not telling |
The Parliamentary Budget Officer set two deadlines – July 3,
then July 19 - and the CFIA has failed to provide the information to Sonia L’Hereux,
the interim Parliamentary Budget Officer and also head of the Library of
Parliament.
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair has tried to press the case by
filing court action, but Justice Sean Harrington ruled that the complaint
needed to be filed by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, not by the NDP trying
to act on her behalf.
The budget cut is $3.1 billion this year and $5.1 billion
next year.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has insisted that food
safety will not be compromised by the cuts, but has not spelled out any details
to back that claim.
What is known so far is that the CFIA no longer checks the
efficacy of fertilizers and soil amendments, opening the door to what critics
call “foo-foo dust” products. Farmers can still file civil lawsuits if products
fail to live up to their advertised claims, but they will need to gather proof
and pay legal and professional consultant costs.
There are also industry consultations underway to reduce
regulation of feeds and feed additives.
