Thank you, Minister and CFIA staff, for coming today.
I read Bill S-11 and I was happy to see how it would benefit Canadian families. I have four kids myself and—I've said this before—we're “meatatarians”. We have burgers.
I see Bill S-11 like a computer update; it's an update of legislation to make it current and bring it into our modern world.
It introduces consistent food inspection practices across all food commodities. It increases some existing fines and introduces new fines and penalties. It gives the CFIA the ability to require regulated parties to have traceability systems, including a prohibition against selling food commodities that have been recalled. It introduces new and stronger prohibitions against deceptive practices, tampering, and hoaxes, giving the CFIA the ability to require the registration or licensing of regulated parties and establishments, and it prohibits the importation of unsafe food commodities. It's great stuff.
I have a few questions, though. What specifically can be done in legislation, or what is in the legislation, that deals with tampering?