Windsor MP Brian Masse Calls for Enhanced Meat Inspections at Canada-U.S. Border

(Windsor Star)

Inspection of meat products coming into Canada from the United States has been cut back and Canadians could suffer for it, MP Brian Masse (NDP – Windsor West) said Friday. Masse held a news conference at his constituency office flanked by representatives of Windsor’s two locations where meat inspections are conducted.

“There have been changes to border policy and food inspection policy that are putting Canadians at greater risk than before and we’ve been fortunate enough to have some individuals come forward to bring that concern to me,” said Masse, who wrote a letter to Gerry Ritz, the minister of agriculture.

New government policy that went into effect on January 4 sees inspections conducted at Windsor Freezer and Border City Storage from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, a reduction of two hours a day from previous levels.

Masse wants to see Canada adopt many of the same stricter policies and penalties as the U.S. when it comes to food inspection. Since the new policy went into effect there have been 70 trucks that have been guided to inspection in Windsor, but ignored the order and continued on to their destination without penalty.

“The problem we have and we see here is, if that truck doesn’t report for inspection, it’s just basically let go, a slap on the hand, there’s basically no penalty,” said Phil Marchuk, president of Windsor Freezer Services Ltd. “In the States if you miss going to an inspection, your fine is three times the load you’re carrying. Nobody skips inspections in the States because it’s too risky and too much of a bother.” Read more here.