Listeria Follow-up Stalled
Sunday January 4, 2009
In August 2008 Canada was faced with a serious outbreak of listeriosis, caused by contaminated food products at a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto. The plant was shut down for a month and more than 200 meat products were recalled. By the time it was over 20 people had died.
Throughout the listeriosis outbreak Maple Leaf Foods and its CEO Michael McCain made a creditable and costly effort to keep the public informed. They have an expanded food safety plan which goes beyond the initial crisis and includes a new position of Chief Food Safety Officer. In mid-December the company also settled class action lawsuits for more than $25 million. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Public Health Agency of Canada also gave frequent updates on the status of the outbreak.
The government seems to be running into problems with follow-up however. CBC reports that access-to-information requests are being turned down with extension requests of up to a year, mainly because of limited staff resources. And while on the eve of the federal election campaign Prime Minister Harper announced that an independent investigation would be held into the listeria outbreak and report by mid-March 2009, Canadian Press says that the government has not even named a leader for the investigation yet.
Listeria and Food Safety in Canada
Listeria Investigation to be Held
What's Next for Food Supply? - CTV
Canada's Food Safety System to Top of Mind in 2008 - CP
Maple Leaf Pays up to $27M to Settle Listeriosis Suits - Ottawa Citizen
Throughout the listeriosis outbreak Maple Leaf Foods and its CEO Michael McCain made a creditable and costly effort to keep the public informed. They have an expanded food safety plan which goes beyond the initial crisis and includes a new position of Chief Food Safety Officer. In mid-December the company also settled class action lawsuits for more than $25 million. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Public Health Agency of Canada also gave frequent updates on the status of the outbreak.
The government seems to be running into problems with follow-up however. CBC reports that access-to-information requests are being turned down with extension requests of up to a year, mainly because of limited staff resources. And while on the eve of the federal election campaign Prime Minister Harper announced that an independent investigation would be held into the listeria outbreak and report by mid-March 2009, Canadian Press says that the government has not even named a leader for the investigation yet.
Listeria and Food Safety in Canada
Listeria Investigation to be Held
What's Next for Food Supply? - CTV
Canada's Food Safety System to Top of Mind in 2008 - CP
Maple Leaf Pays up to $27M to Settle Listeriosis Suits - Ottawa Citizen
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