About the CFIA > Reporting to Parliament > Annual Report > Annual Report 2001 - 2002  

September 27, 2002

The Honourable Lyle Vanclief, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Room 207, Confederation Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Vanclief:

In accordance with requirements stated in Section 23 of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act, I am pleased to present to you, and to Parliament, the CFIA's 2001-02 Annual Report.

The report describes the activities of CFIA personnel and the results they achieved in working to protect the safety of Canada's food supply and animal and plant resource bases. Performance information is organized along the Agency's business lines and is presented in the context of our performance management framework. The report also includes the 31 March 2001-02 audited financial statements and the Auditor General's assessment of the Agency's performance information.

Yours sincerely,

Richard B. Fadden
President

Message from the President

This, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) fifth Annual Report, covers the period from April 1, 2001, to March 31, 2002, and documents another successful year. In fulfilling its mandate, the 5467 dedicated staff members of the CFIA were called upon to respond to a number of unique and ongoing challenges.

As a science-based regulator of food, animals and plants, the CFIA is committed to enhancing the safety of food products sold or imported into Canada, contributing to the health of animals and protecting the plant resource base. Effective decision making in regulating food, animals and plants is science-based, and the Agency's credibility, at home and abroad, rests on its ability to provide expert scientific services. Research, method development, scientific advice, laboratory testing and analysis all contribute to the CFIA's leading-edge scientific capabilities and ensure that the best science advice is provided for key issues.

One of the foremost challenges the CFIA faces is the need to remain vigilant in carrying out all aspects of its far-reaching mandate, while at the same time responding to the growing demand for services and an increasing global emphasis on resource-intensive emergency response management. The CFIA's emergency preparedness was demonstrated following the events of September 11, 2001, when staff worked diligently to protect Canadians from potential risks and to respond to increased traffic at Canadian airports and delays at borders.

Within the complex and ever-changing environment in which it operates, the Agency continues to safeguard Canada's animal and plant resource bases-livestock, crops, and forests. In particular, outbreaks of plum pox virus and potato wart disease and an infestation of brown spruce longhorn beetle required our efforts to protect Canada's plant resources. In light of increasing foreign-animal-disease threats, particularly the threat of foot-and-mouth disease, the responsibility to protect the animal resource base is more important than ever.

This past year, we continued to enhance our performance management framework so as to provide information that accurately and clearly reflects the CFIA's results and, ultimately, supports the CFIA in reaching its goals.

The accomplishments this report describes were made possible by the work of our highly qualified and dedicated employees. During the past year, we worked to foster an exemplary workplace, to provide professional growth opportunities, and to attract the best new workforce entrants. The professionalism and dedication of its employees allow the CFIA to plan confidently for the future.

In the 2001 Federal Budget, the Government committed to "develop a new, integrated and financially sustainable architecture for agricultural policy for the 21st century." The Agency will contribute to the development of key elements of this architecture through an initiative known as the Agricultural Policy Framework. Further, the budget committed to a long-term plan for "a more secure society." This included significant funding "to make Canada's border more secure, open and efficient." The CFIA will have a critical role in delivering this commitment.

The CFIA remains committed to providing Canadians with effective regulatory oversight. During the past year the Agency continued to contribute to food safety, animal and plant health which is a worldwide hallmark of Canada.

Richard B. Fadden
President