To the Editor,
How can dangerous food contamination happen in the 21st century?
Food processors and products are supposed to be tested regularly. Why not constant testing?
One assumes those test results are diligently analyzed before the products get distributed to the public. If not, why not?
Why does it take days/weeks for our food safety regulators to even respond, let alone act, when alerted? Especially when alerted by other countries.
Why aren’t all Canadian cattle destined as food beef vaccinated for E. coli and other bacteria? Why aren’t citizens immediately alerted to contamination?
Why does it take weeks to find out which distributors and retailers sold the contaminated products? Why aren’t they required to be alerted immediately and ordered to halt further sale?
Given modern marketing knowledge of purchasers, why aren’t retailers required to use their databases to directly contact the known purchasers and told not to use the product? Why not require media advertising or even signs in their stores?
Why aren’t those causing contamination not prosecuted? Why is there no full compensation for those harmed required of those who caused the harm?
I think it is long overdue for serious answers to these questions.
So, to our elected representatives in Parliament, supposedly a ‘responsible government,’ let’s have those answers now.
Gary Korpan
Nanaimo