Pierre Lemieux

[Food Safety, October 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as I have been explaining, the CFIA acted to contain contaminated products beginning on September 4, and it has been acting ever since.

Our government has taken the responsibility to increase resources for the CFIA so it can better do its job. Every time we do that, the opposition votes against it.

In 2007 we made available $223 million for the food safety and consumer action plan, and the opposition voted against it; $13 million over two years to hire more inspectors in budget 2010, and the opposition voted against it; $100 million over five years for inspection modernization, and the opposition voted against it.

[Food Safety, October 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, food safety and the health of Canadians are our government's priority. We have strengthened our system, no thanks to the opposition. As I was saying yesterday, we increased the number of inspectors to 700, but the opposition voted against that. If the opposition thinks that the CFIA's powers are inadequate, then it should support the bill our government has introduced to give the agency more powers.

The opposition has already said that it will vote against the legislation when it comes—

[Food Safety, October 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I will reiterate that the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for this government. It is important to note that the CFIA acted to contain contaminated products beginning on September 4, and has been acting ever since.

As the Prime Minister has stated, the XL plant is closed. CFIA closed the plant and it will not be allowed to reopen until the CFIA has certified that it is safe.

[Food Safety, October 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that their health and safety is a top priority for this government. In fact, Canada has a superior food safety system. I will read a quote from a report on OECD countries regarding food safety. It states:

Canada is one of the best-performing countries in the 2010 Food Safety Performance World Ranking study. Its overall grade was superior--earning it a place among the top-tier countries.

[Food Safety, October 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am answering in detail. I have told the House and this member that since 2006 our government has brought an additional 700 net new inspectors to CFIA for it to carry out its responsibilities. I have also pointed out that our government has brought forward an additional $150 million for food safety and that once again the opposition members voted against all these worthwhile measures. Shame on them.

[Food Safety, October 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the health and safety of Canadian consumers is a top priority for this government. We have taken a number of steps to help CFIA with food safety here in Canada. One of them is to increase the number of inspectors available to CFIA. The Liberals voted against that. We also increased funding for the CFIA by $50 million in our 2012 budget and by $100 million in our 2011 budget. The Liberals voted against that.

I encourage the Liberals to step forward and support CFIA in the work it is doing.

[Food Safety, October 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, once again the member is wrong in what he states. Our government has implemented all 57 recommendations from the Weatherill report, resulting in a stronger, more vigorous food safety system to protect Canadians.

It is not just our government that says we have a strong food safety system. There was a report on OECD countries that recognized that Canada has a superior food safety system. The opposition has to get on board with this.

[Food Safety, October 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as I have been pointing out to the member's colleagues, the issue is the opposition not supporting what we are doing for CFIA. CFIA has been engaged on this matter since the beginning, but the opposition is not supporting what we are doing for CFIA, which is giving it additional financial resources and additional inspectors to do its job.

I call on the opposition to support CFIA and the important work it is doing for the health and safety of Canadians.

[Food Safety, October 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian consumers are always a first priority when it comes to food safety, and there are a couple of inconvenient facts that the opposition likes to ignore. The first fact is that we have provided more inspectors to CFIA since 2006, 700 net new inspectors. The second fact it likes to ignore is that we have increased funding for CFIA to the tune of an additional $150 million in our last two budgets alone. The third fact is that we are bringing in the safe food for Canadians act, which would allow an even stronger CFIA to respond more quickly to food safety. The NDP is going to be voting against that.

[Food Safety, October 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member raised this point because that is my point. When is the opposition going to stand and vote for more resources for CFIA, vote for more money for CFIA? I asked her colleague this question and I ask her it now.

We have introduced important legislation called the safe food for Canadians act. It is in the other place, but that member and her colleagues, before it has even reached the House, have said that they are going to vote against the legislation that would make CFIA even stronger in protecting food for Canadians.