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"• l*« , l«i' .1!n ? Orono Town Hall BOWMANVILLE LIBRARY 62 Temperance St. 1.1.04 Bowmanville, Ont. L1C 3A8 $'I.UU GST Included Wednesday September 3, 2003 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 Food Safety Our food safety system is one of the strongest in the country, and it works, says Ontario Minister of Agriculture MPP Helen Johns. Speaking at the beef BBQ held last Wednesday by local MPP John O'Toole at Trillium Trails in Raglan, on the day the Aylmer Meats recall was announced, John's stated, "We need to be proud of our food safety system system because it worked, ten to fifteen years ago this wouldn't have been caught." = "This Aylmer Meats is just the worst thing that could of happened," said Harvey Graham at the BBQ. "Can we tell people there is absolutely no problem in our food chain?" he asked Johns. Disturbed by the Aylmer Meat incident herself, Johns said it is the last thing the beef industry needed right now, but assured the audience that Ontario food producers have a high bench mark and the inspectors always err on the side of caution. Ontario Provincial Police officials launched a criminal probe last Wednesday into the activities carried out at Aylmer Meats of Aylmer Ontario. The allegation is that this meat packer was processing and selling selling beef unfit for human consumption. consumption. Johns explained that an anonymous phone call came into her ministry from someone Agriculture Minister Helen Johns yuiui who felt protocols in one of the abattoirs in the province was not being followed. "We did some surveillance with the Ministry of Natural Resources and were able to get a search warrant operationalized." OPP are now investigating to see if there are criminal criminal charges to be laid. "People will be ensured the system works," she stressed, "We got the call and the investigation was done." Aylmer Meats was a fairly large operation with three inspectors . . ■■ -- = in the plant full time and a veterinarian said Johns. "Allegedly animals were being slaughtered when there was no meat inspector on the premises, "she stated, adding "It's hard to believe someone would have disregard for this whole industry that is having a hard time now." The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in concurrence with the acting Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario, has warned consumers not to consume beef or beef products originating from Aylmer Meat Packers Inc. Aylmer, Ontario, as these products products are believed to pose a risk to public health. According to the CFIA's files released last Friday, only two outlets in Durham Region sold Aylmer Meats, these being Deb's Farm Fresh Foods in Goodwood and Halenda's Meats 1916 Dundas Street E. in Whitby. Johns also touched .on the work she and her ministry along with her federal counterparts counterparts are continuing to do to try and get the US border open to beef exports from Canada. Export permits will be issued beginning next week for some beef products next week, 'but it well never be as quick as you and I need it on May 20th of this year after a single cow in Alberta was diagnosed with having BSE. "This crisis will have a huge ripple effect and com- AYLMER MEAT continued page 4 liillll! i|L « h Carnival worker, Jeremy Huffman has his ride ready for the Orono Fair opening Thursday evening. Premier calls election Ontario residents will head to the polls a month from now as conservative Premier Ernie Eves announced the Provincial Provincial election call on Tuesday. Local Durham MPP John O'Toole issued a press release launching his re-election campaign campaign stating, "Premier Eves' proven leadership has seen Ontarians through the SARS crisis, North America's largest power outage and the challenges challenges facing Ontario's beef producers.' Garry Minnie, local Liberal candidate will campaign campaign against O'Toole for the second time. The NDP have selected Teresa Williams as their Durham Riding Candidate. Electricity, health, education education and same sex marriage are expected to be the main issues of the election. Early morning fatality An early morning accident closed the 401 west Bound Saturday to traffic for most of the day on Saturday. At approximately 5 a.m., three vehicles, a tractor trailer, a mini van and sedan collided near the Mill Street Newcastle overpass. As a result of the collision two occupants of the sedan were fatally injured. OPP are not releasing any further information at this time.