OPSEU's Recommendations to the Meat Regulatory and Inspection Regimes in Ontario chaired by the Honorable Justice Roland Haines.
A report from the Review Hearings
OPSEU presented the judicial review with 43 Recommendations calling for more classified inspectors, better back-up from OMAF management, improved training, and whistleblower protection. Based upon extensive research, surveys and hundreds of hours of conversations with
front-line staff in the food safety chain, the reports seeks to rebuild the meat inspection system within OMAF.
OPSEU representatives spoke at the public hearings in Peterborough and London. In Peterborough, Justice Haines heard from Leah Casselman, OPSEU president that front-line inspectors in Ontario must get just as much support from their chain of command as police officers get from theirs. She said that Ontario needs more
full-time inspectors and unclassified inspectors need minimum hours guaranteed. Inspectors need guaranteed hours to ensure they don't lost their job for enforcing the law. In London, Ron Elliot, Region 1 Vice-president said we need a new culture of enforcement at OMAF. Elliot pointed out that as and occupational health and safety inspector, "I've issues
stop work orders to some of the largest employers in southwestern Ontario. I am invariably backed up by my managers. I believe OMAF has goals other than enforcement." He told Justice Haines that if we want quality to guarantee food safety then the people who are eye-witnesses to everything that government does must have the ability to speak freely and
know that they will not be punished for it. Whistle-blowing protection has to be built into the Food Safety and Quality Act.
The Justice listened carefully to meat inspectors Brian Burdick and Robert Lowry tell their stories about the need for secure jobs, back-up and more training. Doug Peebles, OPSEU chair of the Ministry Enforcement and Renewal Committee, outlined how OMAF needs to be restructured so that food safety is a top priority. Its time
for a new division solely dedicated to food safety and, not industry competitiveness. Inspectors need a champion - a new Chief Inspector would help fulfill that role.
Justice Haines will submit his report on June 30 to the Attorney-General.
Here's some of the press coverage of the OPSEU submission to the review
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News
/2004/04/01/403770.html
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News
/2004/03/25/394667.html
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServ
er?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=
971358637177&c=Article&cid=1080774614456
Ontario Meat Inspectors Index Page
