Health Committee on June 17th, 2020

[Fabian Murphy]

Through you, Mr. Chair, to date I'm not aware of any non-meat inspectors who have been deployed, but I know some have received training. In case there's a shortage of the current meat inspectors, they would have to rely on these non-meat inspectors who have been retrained.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Can you inform the committee of how many CFIA inspectors have tested positive for COVID-19 to date?

[Fabian Murphy]

To date, the number we have received is 40. That's a running total from the time this started.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Now, according to that same news release, “outreach to senior [federal] Ministers by the Agriculture Union has been all but ignored” to date. Has the federal government become any more responsive since that release was issued?

[Fabian Murphy]

After the release, I was contacted by somebody from the office of the Minister of Labour. We had a discussion, and I expressed my concerns with regard to what was happening and transpiring in those plants. After that I did actually get a phone call from the Minister of Health and had a discussion with the Minister of Health as well.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

That's good to hear.

You described, in my view, a very disturbing state of affairs with the lateness and lack of a satisfactory response with regard to protecting the health inspectors. I'd like to get a current snapshot if I could. Is CFIA currently assigning inspectors to more than one facility?

[Fabian Murphy]

Yes. As of today, I checked. That's still happening. Some inspectors do what's called daily presence. They don't work for 8 or 10 hours in the plant. They go to various plants to check on a daily presence. They actually do go to different plants. They're continuing that practice.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Is CFIA currently ordering inspectors to work in unsafe facilities without the proper personal protective equipment?

[Fabian Murphy]

In my opinion, yes, because I don't think they have done a proper hazard assessment and determined what is the proper personal protective equipment to protect somebody from this biological hazard. Even the Public Health Agency and the provincial health agencies will agree that cloth face masks and non-surgical face masks do not protect the wearer from a biological hazard such as COVID-19.

They help reduce the spread, because the persons who are wearing them are less likely to spread the virus if they are carriers. When we're talking personal protective equipment, it's designed to protect you against the hazard. Anything but an N95 mask or greater will not protect you against a biological hazard such as COVID-19.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

You outlined a plan that you think is necessary for us to put in place. I think there is a consensus that we will certainly be facing a second wave or outbreak. It strikes me that we should be creating a plan. Have you had any response from the federal government about your plan and the details you outlined that should be part of it?

[Fabian Murphy]

We haven't had a response on our plan, on our requests, and our suggestions. I know that the government and the agency are working very hard to procure more personal protective equipment—surgical face masks, N95s—and to put measures in place, but we haven't had a discussion with regard to implementing a solid plan in case we get the second wave.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

You've indicated that you would like to see routine testing as part of that plan. Tell us about the state of testing of CFIA staff.

[Fabian Murphy]

That's up to the individual provincial public health authorities. They determine when testing is done. Different provinces deal with that in different ways. That is one of the asks from us, that there be a consistent national approach in dealing with COVID-19.

If somebody is actually symptomatic, then the provincial health authority, once it is made aware of that, will make the determination if the person must get tested and self-isolate. The agency is deferring to the provincial health authority for that reason.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Have you had any response to your request that line speeds be slowed down, so that we could have greater physical distancing?

[Fabian Murphy]

When the plants had the outbreak, and they were trying to get things under control, many plants did slow down their line speeds. Since then, line speeds in many plants are back to normal.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

You've also indicated publicly that you would like the federal government to get off the sidelines in your view, and exercise its responsibility and authority over federally regulated food processors instead of deferring to the provinces. Is the federal government exercising its full authority over federally regulated food processors in a satisfactory manner?

[Fabian Murphy]

This, of course, is my opinion, but I don't think it is. It defers to the provincial health authorities to make a determination if these facilities are able to operate or not. However, CFIA is a federal agency and our members come under the Canada Labour Code, which is a federal law and federal regulation. It's the employer's responsibility, CFIA, to conduct its own hazard assessment and to make the determination of what is required to protect these food inspectors in these plants.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Mr. Davies.

We will now go to round two with Mr. Jeneroux, for five minutes.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks to the witnesses for being here today.

My first question goes to Ms. Robinson.

This week applications were made available for the government surplus food purchase program, but only a small amount of funding has been provided. We know that the amount of surplus food is much greater than its value.

How much funding would need to be allotted to purchase most of the surplus food supplies?

[Mary Robinson]

That's a great question. I don't know the total amount because we continue to see market volatility. As producers we're uncertain where we're going to be able to sell and where we're not.

Overall, we continue to put crops in the ground, raise animals, and hope we're going to be able to sell them. Until the animal or the produce goes to market and we get paid for it, we won't know the answer to that question, but it is certainly more than $50 million.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

How many pounds of food do you anticipate will be wasted because of this? Do you have an estimate? Have there been any projections?

[Mary Robinson]

Again, there's a great deal of uncertainty as to what will make it to market. The surplus food purchase program is meant to divert a bunch of food from going to waste. We've seen several different components of the food supply chain trying to donate that food to make sure that it gets consumed and that we avoid waste, but the only way to answer your question will be with hindsight.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Right. Hopefully, it will not be a lot.

The government has promised to create 700 agricultural jobs for students through the YESS program, but it appears that funding was not approved as part of the estimates released this month. Have you heard from any farmers as to whether they've been able to hire students yet through this program?

[Mary Robinson]

I have not specifically heard of people hiring through this program. I have heard frustration and concern, in particular from smaller producers or newer entrants after announcements were made that they would be able to access the CEBA, and then there was quite a time lag between that and when the funds became available to apply for. There does seem to be a time lag. The announcements are made, and it's wonderful; the money becomes available, but it would be even more wonderful if those things happened in sync.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Yes, I certainly agree with you. I've heard that testimony over and over again. A lot of announcements are being made, yet the action hasn't necessarily taken place. I hear similar comments from farmers here in Alberta to what you've indicated throughout your presentation. I appreciate your coming to the health committee and doing that.

Mr. Murphy, you mentioned to my colleague Mr. Davies that 42 inspectors tested positive. Do you have their locations? Were they specific to one facility?