OTTAWA - Nine months after a deadly listeriosis outbreak, the union representing federal food inspectors says there's still a critical shortage of staff to oversee meat processing plants.
The agriculture section of the Public Service Alliance of Canada bases that conclusion on a survey it conducted in major metropolitan areas, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press.
Union officials, who are to appear Monday at a parliamentary sub-committee on food safety, said the survey results suggest it's almost impossible for federal inspectors to verify industry compliance with safety rules because staff are overwhelmed.
The union estimates that the number of inspectors specifically devoted to monitoring processed meat plants would have to double to 400 from the current 200 to do a proper job.
"If you want it done by the book - and you pretty much have to in an audit approach to inspection - you really undermine the integrity of your inspection process" if you don't have the staff to carry out the job, said Bob Kingston, president of the agriculture division.
He maintained that, in many cases, federal inspectors have too many processed meat plants to visit during the course of the day - a minimum of four - and can't possibly keep on top of spot reviews and the industry's self-reported violations.
Following the listeriosis outbreak that was traced to a Maple Leaf Food plant last year, the federal government launched an immediate review of the inspection system - a study that is still ongoing - and said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency had hired additional staff.
The union contends the vast majority of those new bodies were assigned to tasks other than front-line meat inspection. It has also complained that figures cited by the agency often don't take account of the number of inspectors who are off-duty at any given time.
Tim O'Connor, a spokesman for the food inspection agency, said CFIA hasn't had a chance to analyse the survey compiled by the union.
"We value the input of the union and experiences of our staff," said O'Connor. "We'll review the report with interest once it is released publicly".
The survey was carried out in four regions where the meat processing industry is concentrated - Toronto, Montreal, greater Vancouver and northern Alberta. It canvassed plants where processed food is produced, as well as cold storage facilities that handle meat imports and exports.
The union says the number of inspectors on duty in the four areas was supposed to add up to 98, but when leaves of various kind were taken into account the actual number on duty was between 73 and 74.
That left each inspector with an average of about four-and-a-half plants to look after in Toronto and Montreal and five or more in the other regions.
Kingston accused federal bureaucrats of being "gun shy" about telling Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz precisely how many more staff are needed to oversee the system.
He said the reluctance to cross swords with a minister, who has assured the public everything is well in hand, is still present even after last fall's crisis.
"If your minister is out there telling the world everything is fine, it's very difficult for the leader of a department to go out there and say 'not so fast,' " said Kingston.
He said the Conservatives are reluctant to spend the money needed to properly bolster inspection.
A new, tough inspection policy - one the union applauded - was released in February, but Kingston said it didn't provide for adequate staffing and inspectors estimate their workload has doubled.
