Evidence of meeting #8 for Subcommittee on Food Safety in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was food.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Tricia Meaud  Deputy Executive Director, Federal Programs, Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta
Anne Fowlie  Executive Vice-President, Canadian Horticultural Council
Christopher Kyte  President, Food Processors of Canada
James M. Laws  Executive Director, Canadian Meat Council
Martin Michaud  Vice-President, Technical Services, Olymel
Laurie Nicol  Executive Director, Ontario Independent Meat Processors
Lisa Mina  Executive Director, Consumer Marketing, Beef Information Centre
Marin Pavlic  Food Safety Manager, Beef Information Centre

May 13th, 2009 / 7:05 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Meat Council

James M. Laws

I understand your question.

I think that after the events of last December it became very obvious that many Canadians were not aware of the recommendations on the Health Canada website, on the Centers for Disease Control websites in the United States, that yes, for sliced deli meats, an extra precaution needed to be taken for people in the high-risk group. So, yes, that's what we were referring to.

It's not that one should avoid those products, but if one is to consume them, it's clearly stated that those products should be reheated prior to consumption when you're in the high-risk category.

So you can deduce all kinds of conclusions from that, that Canadians, as a whole, didn't know enough about that. Now we're hoping that message will certainly get through, through the medical community, through those who look after elderly people in long-term health facilities, etc.

7:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Thanks, Mr. Laws.

I'd like to thank our witnesses for coming today. To all, thanks very much for your testimony.

Seeing that it's well after 7 o'clock, this meeting is adjourned until May 25.