For Immediate Release

May 18, 2005

Queen’s Park –By allowing meat inspectors to become part of a union, Steve Peters, Minister of Agriculture and Food has put food safety in grave danger said Ernie Hardeman, Conservative Agriculture Critic and MPP for Oxford. Hardeman today in the Legislature, called on the Minister of Agriculture to take responsibility for the results of his actions.

“Meat inspectors of Ontario are in a position to strike and will in effect bring the processing of meat in provincial abattoirs to a halt,” stated Hardeman. “This certainly is not what beef farmers’ who are already reeling from the effects of BSE need.

Hardeman asked the Minister what he was going to do to help farmers, the provincial abattoirs and their employees when the meat inspectors go on strike? It was obvious in his response that the Agriculture Minister doesn’t have a plan. Peters did nothing to re-assure farmers and meat processors or their employees that the McGuinty government would protect this industry during a public service work stoppage.

“What I hear from the Independent Meat processors is that you don’t consider Meat Inspection essential service and your essential services agreement only includes 16 meat inspectors,” stated Ernie. “I also understand that these 16 meat inspectors won’t be ensuring the safety of the meat slaughter instead they will travel the province to make sure that not one of the 192 plants is conducting slaughter.”

Hardeman pointed out that the meat packers in this province were not interested in the Agriculture Minister’s opinion of previous governments; “what they would like is an answer, what are they supposed to do if, through no fault of their own, they cannot open their processing plant.”

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Contact

Ernie Hardeman MPP Oxford