January 8, 2013
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government won the unanimous consent of the House of Commons for Canada's new federal food safety law. With its earlier passage by the Senate, the Safe Food for Canadians Act, Bill S-11, now becomes law with the routine "Royal Assent."
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the new federal law:
- Makes food as safe as possible for Canadian families
- Protects consumers by targeting unsafe practices
- Implements tougher penalties for activities that put health and safety at risk
- Provides better control over imports
- Institutes a more consistent inspection regime across all food commodities; and strengthens food traceability