176 



♦ 



Inspection of meat in Canada. • [june, 



The Board have received through the Colonial Office a copy- 

 • of a despatch dated 18th March, 1907, from Earl Grey, Governor- 

 General of Canada, stating that in 



Inspection of Meat consequence of the Chicago exposures 

 in Canada. in connection with the canned meat 

 trade, His Majesty's Canadian Govern- 

 ment realised the necessity, in order to preserve and extend 

 Canadian trade, of passing and providing for the enforcement 

 of such a law as would satisfy the consumer that he could 

 accept, without suspicion, the Canadian produce as a sanitary, 

 wholesome and cleanly article and true to the description on 

 the label placed thereon. A Bill for this purpose was 

 introduced into Parliament intituled " An Act respecting the 

 inspection of meats and canned foods " and received the assent 

 of the Governor-General on April 27th. 



The Act in substance provides that every animal brought 

 for slaughter to any establishment carrying on an export trade 

 must, while alive, be inspected by an inspector appointed under 

 the Act, who must be a duly qualified and skilled veterinarian. 

 After slaughter the carcase must undergo another inspection 

 by such an inspector. The carcase, or any part thereof, may 

 then be removed from the establishment, or may be packed 

 or canned therein, but in either case cannot go out for con- 

 sumption as food without the stamp of the inspector. If 

 any animal or carcase, or an}f part thereof, be found unhealthy 

 or unfit for food, it must be condemned and disposed of under 

 the direction of the inspector in such a way as to prevent it 

 going into consumption as food. 



While the Bill was aimed, primarily, at the preservation of 

 the meat trade, its provisions have been extended, in a modified 

 form, to canned fish, fruit and vegetables. 



In every meat establishment there shall be one or more 

 inspectors as may be required, who shall remain continually 

 on the premises and exercise a close inspection of every product 

 during the whole course of preparation for food, and who shall 

 allow no produce to go out for consumption as food without 

 the stamp of inspection. Owing to their great number this 

 would be impracticable in the case of fish, fruit and vegetable 

 establishments, but in their case such inspection as may be 

 practicable will be made to prevent any unsound or unwhoie- 



