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Debra Probert
Executive Director
Vancouver Humane Society
303-8623 Granville St.
Vancouver, B.C. V6P 5A2
Good morning Debra,
Tom Barlow has asked me to respond to you in reference to your letter that you sent to us last week. At the outset, thank you for communicating your position to us and we are certainly aware of the position and views around this issue from various perspectives. However, the position that CFIG has always consistently maintained with respect to all issues that pertain to food safety, is that these matters fall under the legislative and regulatory scope of the government and the enforcement of such is left to appropriate regulatory agencies.
Therefore, as an association, reflecting our role as both retailers and consumers, we have responded to government whenever any food safety issue arises, responded to government whenever changes are being considered to either legislation or regulations in this sensitive area and most importantly, have looked to government to ensure that appropriate legislative and regulatory measures are in place in all spheres related to food safety. Independent retailers strongly support local products, producers and processors, in fact this is a key component of their business model in a myriad of communities throughout Canada.
CFIG has been key in developing the retail food safety compendium of practices and protocols at retail. But again, we are not regulators and we expect those mandated with that role to ensure all issues pertaining to food safety and animal welfare to be overseen by those authorities.
Individual retailers are of course, free to support the initiative you have brought forward, and we respect their proprietary right to do so. However, for CFIG to take a position on behalf of all our members on this matter, would again, contradict our long standing approach. Thank you again for bringing your concerns to our attention.
Gary Sands
Vice President
Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers
