I don’t really think one solution will fix the problem.
However, I think an ombud is part of the solution because they will at least identify the challenges facing the Food Inspection Agency, the CFIA, and encourage it to modernize its approach. One of the problems facing us today is that there is no way to hold decision-makers accountable for their decisions. We need someone to shed a light on what is going on at the agency and to tell us the rationale for the decisions made. At this point there’s no transparency and we don’t have this kind of information.
I think an ombud could help us ensure performance improvements at the CFIA.