The Canadian Food Inspection Agency aims to cut more than
$54 million from its expenses this fiscal year, according to documents released
under Access to Information.
The cuts come across a broad range of services, most of them
dealing with quality assurance.
For example, there are cuts to research geared to inspection
services, to seed inspections and to fertilizer-industry oversight.
The Seed Potato Quality Management Program, used mainly by
growers in Alberta and New Brunswick, is one target outlined in an internal
document stamped “Secret”. The savings for that cut are estimated at $1.2
million a year.
Another written by Sukhmander Sawhtiney, also marked
“Secret” and headed “Alternative Service Delivery of Seed Crop Inspections – A Deficit
Reduction Action Plan Proposal” makes a case for turning the job over to the
private sector.
It indicates that 80 CFIA staff members, supplemented by 120
casual employees for seasonal work, have been doing the job.
It does not say how much the CFIA will save, but does say “the
private sector is able to respond to change in the seed sector more quickly
than government” and can step up service faster whenever there is a “sudden
increase in demand”.
It also says “in some cases, seed companies may want to be
licenced to conduct the inspection themselves.” There is no mention of the
risks associated with conflict of interest.
