National Food Safety Strategy Workshop Collaboration on national food safety policy initiatives Marc

1
National Food Safety Strategy Workshop
Collaboration on national food safety policy
initiatives March 22, 2005

• Kevin McLeod
• Senior Team Leader, Environmental Public Health
• Disease Control and Prevention Branch
• Alberta Health and Wellness
• Co-Chair Federal/Provincial/Territorial
  Committee
• on Food Safety Policy

2
Overview of Food Safety Policy Development

• Food Safety Policy Development Whos
  Responsible?
• Federal Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection
  Agency, Public Health Agency of Canada and
  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Provincial Ministers of Health and Agriculture
• Regional Health Authorities - Municipalities
• Industry primary production to retailers
• Personal personal choices consumer
  expectations

3
Legal Jurisdiction

• Canadas Constitution allows all levels of
  government, federal, provincial/territorial and
  municipal, to enact food safety and quality
  legislation
• Federal jurisdiction
• Criminal law
• Food Drugs Act, Consumer Labelling and
  Packaging Act
• Trade and commerce
• Canada Agricultural Products Act
• Provincial/Territorial/Municipal jurisdiction
• Local and private property and civil rights

4
Division of Responsibilities Among FPT
Jurisdictions

• Federal
• Administration of all or parts of 13 Acts
• Sets standards related to safety, quality and
  fraud for food traded inter-provincially,
  internationally and offered for sale in Canada
  under national standards and grades.
• Provincial/Territorial
• 70 Provincial Territorial statutes administered
  by P/T departments of agriculture, health,
  fisheries and/or environment departments
• Apply to foods that are processed, manufactured,
  served, sold and and traded within their
  respective jurisdictions.
• Provincial/Territorial governments have
  jurisdiction over public health matters.
• Municipal/Regional
• Derive regulatory authority from provincial
  legislation
• Usually funded from provincial departments
• Principle role is to enforce regulations and
  policies that have been developed or approved at
  the provincial level.

5
National Food Safety Policy Objectives

• Protection and promotion of public health
• National uniformity
• Scientifically defensible requirements and
  realistic expectations
• Multi-dimensional approach employing mechanisms
  in education, surveillance and enforcement
• Respects the reality that food safety is a
  multi-sectoral responsibility

6
National Food Safety Policy Liaison and
Contribution
Identifying Issues Putting Them into Context
Assessing Health Risks/ Health Benefits
Evaluating Results
Partners Other Stakeholders
Implementing the Strategy
Identifying Analyzing Options
Selecting a Strategy
HC Decision-Making Framework
7
National Food Safety Policy FPT Liaison and
Contribution

• relative FPT priority of the issue
• existing P/T legislative authority and inspection
  coverage
• identification of stakeholder groups
• potential technological solutions or limitations
• characterization of the industry
• consumer choice and understanding of
  risks/benefits
• input into identification of options
• evaluation of effectiveness of the policy

8
FPT Partners Linkages

• Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Food
  Safety Policy (FPTCFSP)
• Canadian Food Inspection Implementation Group
  (CFISIG)
• Federal/Provincial/Territorial Agri-Food
  Inspection Committee (FPTAFIC)
• G7 (Co-Chairs of the above captioned)
• Provincial Coordination Committees
• Canada Alberta Partners in Food Safety

9
FPT Committee on Food Safety Policy (FPTCFSP)

• Mandated by Health Canada (1986)
• Co-chaired by Health Canada and a P/T member
• Representatives from health agriculture with
  food safety responsibilities
• Meetings twice per year and through regular
  teleconference calls
• Emergency calls as required (e.g. BSE)

10
FPTCFSP - Linkages

• FPTCFSP Protocol on Information-Sharing and
  Collaboration on Food Safety Policy Matters
• P/T input into HC food safety policies
• Linkage with senior health officials (CCMOH,
  ADMs/DMs of Health)
• Linkage with industry (representation on
  sub-committees interactions with Canadian
  Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition)

11
FPTCFSP - Outputs

• Inventory of FPT food safety legislation
• Food Safety Guidelines for Food Banks
• Risk Categorization Model for Food Retail and
  Food Service Establishments
• Under development
• National criteria for food safety education
  programs in food service/food retail sector
• Advice to food industry during adverse water
  conditions

12
FPT Collaboration Examples

• Endorsement of Agricultural Policy Framework by
  FPT Ministers of Agriculture and Health
• Endorsement of Foodborne Illness Outbreak
  Response Protocol by FPT Deputy Ministers of
  Health
• On-going FPT collaboration on management of BSE
  situation
• Development and amendments of national model
  codes and regulations

13
In conclusion

• Partnering between food safety regulatory
  agencies and non-government stakeholders is
  important as
• it provides valuable input for the development of
  effective national policies
• food safety is a shared jurisdiction and support
  is needed for the implementation of national
  policies
• collaboration with FPT agencies can greatly
  assist in the evaluation of the effectiveness of
  policies
• it supports a uniform level of food safety in
  Canada