Canadian Food Inspection

Introduction

The past three decades have seen extensive changes in the style of governance, which has produced various consequences for the public policy determination process. The function of government had become forced to adapt to the changes brought forth by New Public Management (NPM). One of these changes has been the introduction of a new agency; the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). At the recommendation of the Interdepartmental Committee on Food Regulation (ICFR), the creation of the CFIA was meant to overcome the bureaucratic political inefficiencies of its predecessors, which had achieved little progress and had run up operational costs since their initiation (Aucion, 1998). The operating costs using the inefficient bureaucratic

The 1995 federal program review that thought to reduce federal deficits in the upcoming operational budget triggered the creation of a newly NPM administered body though the process of de-bureaucratization of that regulatory body in question (Aucoin, 1998). While the review was economic in its essence, the proposed framework that thought to rectify the problems was methodological change through the implementation of a new administrative system. In this case, it was in fact the NPM system that would combat the high financial and administrative costs associated with food inspection and enforcement activities.

Federalism stood in the way of effectively improving coordination between federal and provincial government’s regulatory bodies. The Government of Canada established and enforces food safety standards in the country as a whole, whereas the individual provinces are responsible for administration at establishments within that provinces border. Departmental overlap and the duplication of associated costs ran into the tens of millions according to the review board (Skogstad, 1998).

Duplication of associated costs ran into the tens of millions according to the review board

Although Prince argues that an organization such as the CFIA is “hybrid” institution; more autonomous then traditional departments, but is still accountable to Parliament through a cabinet minister, the Canadian government still believes that food inspection is a necessary provision of the state, and as such, much remain within the public sphere of management. Simply put, allowing the industry to regulate itself or have a private sponsored entity come and do the role of the government would greatly reduce public trust. However, as CFIA is still governed under the public domain, the NPM restructuring still affects it all the