OTTAWA, April 8 /CNW/ - The food and consumer products industry welcomed
new food and product safety legislation tabled today by Prime Minister Harper.
"This legislation aims to level the playing field and ensure all
companies are equally accountable for what they import and sell to consumers,"
said Nancy Croitoru, FCPC's President & CEO. "As the Prime Minister noted in
December, the vast majority of Canadian manufacturers play by the rules and
take the safety of their products seriously and they shouldn't be hurt by
those who don't. Our industry has made substantial investments in food and
product safety and will continue to increase our investments to address the
challenges posed by rising imports and changing consumer preferences."
As the trade association that represents the companies that manufacture
the major grocery and consumer product brands Canadians know and trust, we at
FCPC know that ensuring the safety of our products -- and thereby maintaining
the confidence of consumers -- is our industry's single most important goal.
The legislation's focus on risk-based inspection, accountability for
importers and strengthening recall provisions for quick intervention when
problems arise, would significantly improve Canada's ability to detect
contaminated food and consumer products. "Safety is our number one
consideration- full stop." said Croitoru, adding "Focusing on imported goods
from countries or companies with a history of problems just makes sense.
Increasing our ability to scrutinize and oversee imports based on risk greatly
enhances our ability to detect threats to public health without crippling
commerce or violating our trade commitments." The legislation tabled today
achieves those objectives.
"We look forward to working with the government and other stakeholders to
ensure the crafting of good public policy that protects Canadians and builds
consumer confidence," Croitoru added in closing.
Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) is the largest industry
association in Canada representing the food and consumer products industry.
Our member companies make and market retailer and national brands sold through
grocery, drug, convenience, mass merchandise and foodservice distribution
channels. The industry employs approximately 300,000 Canadians across the
country, making it the largest employer in the Canadian manufacturing sector,
generating $24 billion annually in GDP (13% of the Manufacturing Gross
Domestic Product). The industry has a record of embracing world-class
regulatory standards and is governed by 442 federal and provincial pieces of
legislation, as well as thousands of regulations and self-imposed standards.
For further information: Blake Johnston, Vice President, Government
Affairs, FCPC, (613) 232-7774
