EUROPEAN AUDIT SLAMS CANADIAN FOOD SAFETY
WebPosted Mon Nov 20 08:28:37 2000

OTTAWA--The European Union has moved toward an outright ban on importing 
Canadian meat and dairy products in the form of an audit of Canada's 
food inspection system. 

 The health and consumer protection directorate of the European 
Commission concluded that even Canadian products certified as drug and 
hormone free might contain traces of those chemicals. 

 The European audit questioned the competence and methods of Canadian 
food inspection, saying its reports can't be trusted. Those are charges 
the Canadian government denies. 

 "We have an excellent record of residue control in Canada," said Don 
Raymond of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 

 "Our data demonstrates that we've been doing an excellent job." 

 But the report concludes that all imports from Canada should be 
immediately stopped. The commission says that Canadian meat is tainted 
with chemicals that pose a health risk to European consumers. 

 Canada's meat exports to Europe make up only a small portion of the 
industry, as most Canadian meat exports go to the United States. 

 Nonetheless, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association is concerned about the 
possibility of being shut out of a market that has been worth about $70 
million to its 130,000 members. 

 "Our interpretation is that the EU is still seeking means of prohibiting 
the trade or the export from Canada into their market," said Rob McNabb. 

 But others side with the Europeans that this is an issue about safety, 
not trade. 

 "This is a clear question of health," said Mike McBane of the Canadian 
Health Coalition. "Consumers are at risk, especially children, from 
cancer causing hormones and other drugs." 

 Canadian cattle producers use several hormones that Europeans have said 
cause cancer. North Americans dispute that, adhering to the claim that 
the meat and milk from animals treated with hormones are safe. 

 For the past decade, the European union will only import meat that is 
hormone free. 

 The report is expected to be made public Monday. 

 
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