Prior to an upcoming meeting during which Senate Bill S-11, an Act addressing the safety and inspection of Canada’s food supply: (http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&billId=5654811) will be under consideration, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food needs to hear from you regarding the dangers of horsemeat.
It is common knowledge that many horses are routinely treated with phenylbutazone (“bute”), clenbuterol, and other drugs that are not permitted in food-producing animals. Yet, unbelievably, the current system rapidly pumps these animals through to slaughter and into the human food supply. Only random, infrequent testing on horsemeat is performed, and the much-touted Equine Information Document accompanying each horse to slaughter relies upon the honesty and integrity of horse owners and feedlot operators to supply an accurate drug history on each animal. Needless to say, the system is a sham. Yet the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada continue to promote the slaughter of animals unfit to be human food.
Additionally, conditions in horse feedlots and inside slaughter facilities have recently come under fire for posing potential public health risks: (http://canadianhorsedefencecoalition.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/sg-chdcbehindcloseddoorsoct22wlinks.pdf).
Please act now. The Committee is slated to assemble soon, so send your comments intoday. A short form letter is included below for your convenience; however, your own original wording is generally considered to be a more powerful tool.
On behalf of the horses – thank you,
Your friends at CHDC
_____________________________________________
Copy and paste into “To” field of New Message:
merv.tweed@parl.gc.ca; malcolm.allen@parl.gc.ca; Frank.valeriote@parl.gc.ca;alex.atamanenko@parl.gc.ca; pierre.lemieux@parl.gc.ca; blake.richards@parl.gc.ca;RuthEllen.Brosseau@parl.gc.ca; lavar.payne@parl.gc.ca; brian.storseth@parl.gc.ca;randy.hoback@parl.gc.ca; Francine.Raynault@parl.gc.ca; Bob.Zimmer@parl.gc.ca;AGRI@parl.gc.ca
Body of e-mail:
To: MP Merv Tweed, Chair, and Members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food
Dear MP Tweed and Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food Members:
I understand that Senate Bill S-11, an Act respecting food commodities, is coming up for consideration at a future committee meeting. In the interest of food safety, I would like to request that you seriously consider the impact that horsemeat consumption may have on human health. Here is a link to a related report from the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition: http://canadianhorsedefencecoalition.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/sg-chdcbehindcloseddoorsoct22wlinks.pdf. As you know, most horses have not been raised as food animals and are fed a wide variety of drugs, many of which are not permitted in the food chain, during their lifetimes (phenylbutazone and clenbuterol, to name only two). Random, infrequent testing of horsemeat and Equine Information Documents that can be fraudulently presented do nothing to keep dangerous drugs out of human food. The government of Canada would do well to support Bill C-322 and end the slaughter of horses without delay.
Yours truly,
(Name, address and email)
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