Harper government withholds listeriosis notes

[daleo]

OTTAWA — The Harper government has delayed for months the release of notes on conference calls held at the height of last summer's deadly listeriosis outbreak — a lag some experts say breaks Ottawa's own information laws.

At issue is an Access to Information request by The Canadian Press to the Privy Council Office for “all transcripts and minutes” of the crucial exchanges last August and September.

Officials were grappling at the time with a health crisis that sparked intense scrutiny of the national food safety system.

Twenty Canadians died after developing listeriosis, an outbreak that was traced to meat-processing equipment at a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto.
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090222.wfoilisteriosis0222/BNStory/politics/home
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For the record, I didn't see this in today's paper edition of the Globe.

[Spazito]

1. I can't help but believe they are withholding the transcripts and minutes...

because the harper government refused to act upon the health crisis and wanted to protect Maple Leaf Foods instead.

[daleo]

2. I would have to agree

At a minimum, the transcripts would probably show that there was more discussion about the company's reputation than peoples' health.