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Meat/Animal Offender Gets House Arrest

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

A Canadian judge has decided six months of house arrest is sufficient penalty for violations of both the federal Meat Inspection Act and the Health of Animals Act.

Ontario Judge Blouin imposed the sentence of house arrest on Oliver Cheung Hon Mok, who pled guilty last January to one court of violating section 9 (1) of the Meat Inspection Act, and one count of violating section 16(1) of the Health of Animals Act.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Mok violated the Meat Inspection Act by making an unauthorized import of meat products from China, a country with meat inspection systems that do not have valid written approvals from Canada's Minister of Agriculture.

CFIA said Mok violated the Health of Animals Act by importing an animal by-product without presenting it to an Inspector.

Section 9 (1) of Canada's Meat Inspection Act states:

"No person shall import a meat product into Canada unless

(a) at the time it was prepared for export, the country from which it originated and any country in which it was processed had meat inspection systems, those systems and the relevant establishments in those countries were approved in writing by the Minister before that time and the approvals were valid at that time;

(b) that person provides an inspector with evidence satisfactory to the Minister that it meets the prescribed standards for imported meat products;

(c) it meets the prescribed standards for imported meat products; and

(d) it is packaged and labeled in the manner prescribed."

Section16. (1) of Canada's Health of Animal Act states:

"Where a person imports into Canada any animal, animal product, animal byproduct, animal food or veterinary biologic, or any other thing used in respect of animals or contaminated by a disease or toxic substance, the person shall, either before or at the time of importation, present the animal, animal product, animal by-product, animal food, veterinary biologic or other thing to an inspector, officer or customs officer who may inspect it or detain it until it has been inspected or otherwise dealt with by an inspector or officer."

The CFIA is responsible for enforcing a variety of federal legislation including the Health of Animals Act, and the Meat Inspection Act. The CFIA's jurisdiction is limited to the enforcement of these Acts and their Regulations.

The federal agency protects consumers by contributing to food safety, the protection of plants, and the health of animals in Canada.

Full post as published by Food Safety News on June 16, 2010 (boomark / email).