Mr. Speaker, Canadian consumers continue to be our government's top priority when it comes to food safety.
Regarding the cuts, our latest budget includes a transfer of federal resources to the provinces. There are now three provinces in which federal inspectors are doing the work of provincial inspectors. We are transferring resources to the provinces. It is not a cut; it is a transfer.
There was another change that we made. There were food inspectors washing cars in Newfoundland and Labrador. I am sorry but we just do not think that is a good use of food inspectors. We have stopped the practice of CFIA inspectors washing cars. They will continue to do examinations for the contamination of vehicles at the ferry but they will no longer be washing cars.
I think it is a bit deceiving for the opposition to say that there were cuts to food safety. There have not been cuts to food safety. In fact, in our last budget there was a $50 million increase for food safety.