Open Letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Gary Schellenberger, M.P., Perth-Wellington The Conservative government has decided to spend at least 25 billion to purchase stealth bombers to protect Canadians. Meanwhile food safety Inspectors are being laid off, although their numbers were already inadequate. The omnibus bill will change regulations to allow slaughter houses to process animals which have died outside the slaughterhouse. Here are some organisms you should learn about: salmonella, campylobacter, toxoplasma gondii, E. coli, listeria, norovirus. All of these are organisms which can be spread by contaminated food. All of these can cause illness and death. The reduction in food safety inspectors and the processing of animals which have died outside the slaughterhouse will increase the risk that Canadians will eat food contaminated with one of these organisms. The Conservative government has decided to save pennies by cutting costs regarding food safety, while spending upwards of 25 billion on fighter jets to protect Canadians from enemies we dont have. Please, Mr. Harper, Mr. Schellenberger, could you explain to me how this makes us safer? Could you explain to me how this makes economic sense? Dorothy Knight 76 Athlone Cres. Stratford, ON N4Z 1H8 519 271 7698 This letter is intended for publication in the Letters to the Editor page.
Dorothy A. Knight