About the CFIA > Reporting to Parliament > Annual Report > Annual Report 1998 - 1999
Executive Summary
The Agencys second year of operation can be best described as one of steady
progress in enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of federal inspection services
related to food, and animal and plant health.
The Agencys Corporate Business Plan sets out objectives and priorities for the
1997-2000 period. The section of this report entitled How We Are Doing provides
performance information for these objectives. The Agency continues to protect consumers,
promote partnerships, streamline its operations and adopt new policies and approaches as
outlined below.
ENHANCING EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF THE INSPECTION SYSTEM
To enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the inspection system, the Agency has
continued to reduce overlap and duplication in program delivery,
management and administration, without reducing services to Canadians, including reducing
the number of offices across the country to 18, from the 33 which existed when the Agency
was created in April 1997;
recognized prevention as a critical means to ensure food safety (For
example, the Agency has supported the implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Point (HACCP) systems by federally-registered establishments. HACCP is an internationally
recognized approach to food safety which is based on identifying and preventing
food-safety risks during processing. HACCP is a key element of the Agencys work in
the development of an Integrated Inspection System (IIS) which will cover the full range
of food safety, right from input materials through production to retail and consumer
use.);
received commitments from over half of Canadas 800
federally-registered meat processing, slaughter and storage establishments to participate
in the Food Safety Enhancement Program which incorporates HACCP principles; and
- implemented the re-engineered Fish Quality Management Program, which incorporates HACCP
principles, for all federally-registered fish processors .
PROMOTING PARTNERSHIPS
The Agency increasingly saw the need for and participated in partnerships with other
levels of government, consumers, industry and stakeholders as a means to meet its
objectives.
On the federal-provincial scene, agreements were reached with the
governments of Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and the Northwest Territories that clarify
inspection roles and allow for greater collaboration and efficiency in inspection
activities.
The Agency assisted the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety
Education to introduce the FightBAC! Campaign that successfully reached and
continues to educate a large number of Canadians about the safe handling of food.![Inspection picture / Image d'inspection](/web/20061212104207im_/http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/ar/ar99/section31.gif)
PROTECTING CONSUMERS
Truthful and accurate labelling of food products is essential to ensure consumer
protection. During the past year, the Agency has
continued a thorough review of its labelling program;
stepped-up enforcement action against violators; and
taken a lead role in the Codex Alimentarius Commissions efforts to
develop an international agreement on the labelling of products of biotechnology.
FACILITATING MARKET ACCESS
Not to be confused with "trade promotion", market access refers to the
Agencys measures to protect important Canadian resources Canadas food
supply system, its animals and plants through measures that help prevent the spread
of food-borne illness and maintain a healthy animal and plant population. We contribute to
safe food by
MAINTAINING A SKILLED AND COMPETENT STAFF
During the year, previously identified priority policy needs were transformed into
policy.
Accomplishments included
a Human Resources policy framework designed to provide a blueprint for
policy- and decision-making;
a Staffing and Accountability Framework to clarify the delegation of
authority and accountability across all staffing activities;
implementation of a Staffing Complaint Policy providing employees with a
recourse mechanism;
an Employment Equity Strategy and a three-year action plan;
a Student Internship Program;
a Learning Strategy to address training needs in the Agency; and
management competency programs.
The next several years will be particularly exciting ones for the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency. We look forward to serving Canadians, responding quickly to their
changing needs and further strengthening Canadas food safety systems and animal and
plant health. |