August 08 Listeriosis Outbreak to be Investigated

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Latest Pig Industry News

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

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August 08 Listeriosis Outbreak to be Investigated

CANADA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday announced that Sheila Weatherill, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Capital Health in Edmonton, will be appointed as an Independent Investigator into the August 2008 listeriosis outbreak related to certain processed meat products from Maple Leaf Foods.

"Protecting the health of Canadian families and the safety of the Canadian food supply is of paramount importance to our Government," said the Prime Minister. "I am confident that Sheila Weatherill has the expertise required to independently examine the factors that contributed to the listeriosis outbreak and make recommendations on how to prevent a similar occurrence in the future."

Ms. Weatherill led one of Canada’s largest integrated, academic health systems, the Capital Health Region in Edmonton, Alberta, as its President and Chief Executive Officer from 1996-2008. She has extensive experience in both the administration and delivery of health services, and holds both a B.Sc. in Nursing and a post-graduate Diploma in Public Health from the University of Alberta.

"We are pleased that the federal government's arms-length investigation is moving ahead and look forward to both cooperating fully with this investigation and sharing our key learnings from this past fall," stated Michael H. McCain, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods. "We are confident that the joint efforts by government and industry, and the consistent application of high standards, will further enhance the Canadian food safety system and the integrity of our food."

ThePigSite News Desk