Dion links Walkerton, planned cuts to food scrutiny

[CHIMO]

TORONTO and OTTAWA — A leaked government proposal to give the food industry a greater role in the inspection process is backed by the same Conservative politicians responsible for Ontario's Walkerton water tragedy, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion charged Thursday.

With Maple Leaf Food's Toronto meat-processing plant closed amid a nationwide outbreak of listeria infection, Mr. Dion accused the Tories of wanting to walk away from the "core" government responsibility of food inspection in favour of privatization. And the Liberal Leader named former Ontario Conservative MPs Jim Flaherty, John Baird and Tony Clement as key supporters of the plan.

The cabinet document, which has not been approved, outlines plans by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to give the food industry a greater role in the inspection process. It also spells out plans to cut millions in federal spending on surveillance for mad-cow disease.

"These are the same people – Mr. Flaherty, Mr. Baird, Mr. Clement – who are responsible what happened in Walkerton, who privatized propane inspection, and they want to do something equivalent about food inspections, which is at the core of what the government should do," he said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080821.wdionfood0821/BNStory/National/home

So here we are. Going down the same crazy road after it has been shown to be wrong.