News - October 2008              Previous Month         Following Month

The headlines for current month's news items are listed immediately below. Click on the headline of your choice to see the entire text of the article.

Nappan Local repays community support for fight

against experimental farm closure

Montreal's Le Devoir reveals poll showing overwhelming opposition to planned Conservative budget cuts to food inspection

A message to the membership: Our new National President speaks

to current issues and the way forward for the Agriculture Union

Nappan Local repays community support for fight against experimental farm closure

(Posted October 4, 2008)

Three years ago, the people of the Amherst region of Nova Scotia rallied to our union’s successful fight to block the then-Liberal government’s move to close the Nappan Experimental Farm.

The members of Agriculture Union Local 80058 recently repaid that support for the 143-year-old research facility with the donation of Grade A beef to Cumberland County’s food banks.

The source of the gift can be seen in the above photo – a 1,313-pound steer purchased by Local 80058 members. Local secretary-treasurer Julie Smith can be seen second from the right.

The photo below shows the delivery of the dressed and packaged beef to an area food bank: (from left to right) Local member Mike Wheaton, food bank coordinator Pat Wilson, Local member John Gallant, Local member Robin McIvor and Local president Traci Gowan.

Congratulations to all Local members for their generous donation to those most in need in their community

Montreal's Le Devoir reveals poll showing overwhelming opposition to planned Conservative budget cuts to food inspection

(Posted October 2, 2008)

No less than anywhere else in Canada, Quebecers have been intensely involved in the unfolding listeria crisis and our union’s battle for a secure and safe food chain.

Le Devoir, Montreal’s highly-regarded French-language daily newspaper, was the first media outlet to break the results of a recent poll showing that the public is 83 per cent opposed to the Harper government’s planned cuts to food inspection in the next federal budget. The nationwide public opinion survey was conducted by Nanos Research from September 20-22.

While anglophone media has been largely focused on Maple Leaf Foods, Quebec has had its own coincident incidents of listeria outbreak in the province’s cheese industry.

The very informative Le Devoir article of September 29 appears in its entirety immediately below:

Food inspection: 80% of consumers against federal budget cuts
By Fabien Deglise

Survey shows that Canadians want increased spending on food safety

In the wake of recent listeriosis outbreaks in the country’s cheese and cold cuts production, eight out of every ten Canadians feels that the cuts planned by the Stephen Harper government in federal budgets for food inspection should be reversed immediately. More than half the population is calling on Ottawa to increase spending in this area, according to a survey Le Devoir has obtained that was commissioned by several consumer organizations.

Conducted by Nanos Research for Option consommateurs, the Canadian Health Coalition and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, the poll, whose principal findings will be announced this morning in Ottawa, is categorical. Close to 83% of 1200 respondents, with a margin of accuracy of 2.8%, 19 times out of 20, want the federal government to abandon its project to cut several million dollars from the food inspection programs. The poll results are based on a random telephone survey conducted coast to coast from September 20th to September 22nd, including 301 citizens of Quebec.

The cuts envisaged by Ottawa are supported by only 7.3% of the population, according to the poll, which also highlights another aspect of public opinion concerning food safety: 56% of Canadians want the government to invest more money to ensure the health and safety of food sold in this country.

“It’s not surprising,” says Michel Arnold, director of Option Consommateurs. “Consumers are well aware that allowing the industry to self-police could put their own health in danger. They are asking politicians from all parties to not go down this dangerous road.”

In the middle of the summer, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) had to admit that it was currently working on the “strategic review of activities” of inspection in the country. In the context of this modernization, the Agency is considering putting a portion of the food inspection activities back into the hands of a third party – the agri-food industry. The inspection of seed, animal food, meat product labelling, fruits and vegetables, as well as part of the services to importers would also be affected by these reforms.

In the end, the CFIA hopes to reduce its annual budget of $416 million by 5% each year, to direct some $20 million into other activities it feels are a higher priority, without specifying what these activities are. However, worth noting is that according to revelations made by a former CFIA inspector to the Globe and Mail in late August, Maple Leaf Foods of Toronto, at the origin of the major listeriosis outbreak that has shaken the industry, was one of the pilot establishments where Ottawa has been testing its new inspection regulations for the past year.

All political parties united

In light of this significant health crisis that has resulted in 19 deaths in Canada, as well as recent concerns linked to the discovery of melamine in milk in China, it is not surprising that the reinforcement of the health and safety of food in the country is a concern throughout the population. This unanimity transcends the political bent of respondents, as indicated by the Nanos Research survey.

Whether they are members of the Bloc québécois, Liberals, Conservatives or New Democrats, those surveyed expressed their wishes in the same proportion (between 55.5% and 58.5%) for Ottawa to inject funds into these programs rather than make cuts. However, 10.8% of Bloc respondents agree with the cuts, as compared with 5.9 of Liberals, 7.7% of Conservatives and... 1.2% of Green Party members.

The concerns of the population for food safety have in recent weeks cropped up in the current federal election campaign. Last week for example, Jack Layton promised to place a federal inspector in every meat-processing plant in Canada. Stéphane Dion’s Liberals had earlier in September promised to hire 100 more inspectors to ensure the safety of Canadians.

These Canadians are more worried in the west, where the idea of increasing investments in food inspection appealed to 62% of respondents, as compared to 49% in the Atlantic provinces. Québec (53%) and Ontario (54%) remain within the average with one difference: this is where we find the greatest number of respondents in favour of budget cuts: 12.6% compared with 7.3% in Halifax, 6.5% in Toronto and 4.2% on the other coast.

A message to the membership: Our new National President speaks to current issues and the way forward for the Agriculture Union

(Posted October 1, 2008)

Bob Kingston is our union’s first new National President in close to a decade. Six weeks into the job, Bob shares his views on the key issues facing Agriculture Union members in the weeks and months ahead:

Sisters and Brothers:

Just over a month ago, I was elected as your new National President along with our new National Council. I know I speak for all of them when I say we are ready to undertake the challenges ahead.

Sister Debbie Forsythe’s arrival in the National Office in September was especially welcome. One of only two full-time elected positions in our union, the post of First Executive Vice-President is critical to the operation and success of the Agriculture Union. This is very much a partnership; one I predict will be of great benefit to Agriculture Union members.

The few weeks since our Convention have been a whirlwind of activity. Our campaign to defend the role of the Canadian Grain Commission – and the job security of our CCG members – has been successful. Bill C-39 died with the calling of an election by the Conservatives.

Now we are halfway through a federal election in which we get to elect our employer. All of us know what this means. To help the public and our members choose the next government wisely, in collaboration with the PSAC, we have launched an even more ambitious campaign on food safety. Once again this campaign is tied to the Conservative government’s agenda of downsizing and privatization of essential public services. Go to www.foodsafetyfirst.ca to join our campaign and to contact your riding candidates and exercise your vote accordingly.

And, all the while, we have not neglected the basic ‘bread and butter’ needs of members in workplaces across the country. Every day, we advocate for our members in the workplace, at Labour-Management Consultation Committees, at the grievance and adjudication process, in the Courts, before Parliament, and, if necessary, on the picket line.

I am also proud that ours is a union that has a tradition of co-operating with the employer when it is in the interests of our membership and where the employer shows respect and good faith.

So, looking ahead, I see an Agriculture Union more able to effectively lobby and influence politicians and public alike to advance our members issues and values.

That means more membership communication. More activist education. More political action, in Parliament and in communities across the country. Not as an end in itself. But as a means to an end – one of security and prosperity for our members and their families.

In doing this, we will not lose sight of the many important victories won by this union’s Local leadership and activists in workplaces in every province of this country. We are determined to move forward by building on all our strengths. We will continue to strive to reach new heights of service and representation.

I look forward to working with you all over the next few years.

In solidarity

Bob Kingston
National President