Canadian Listeriosis Investigation to be Handed in Today

Investigator Sheila Weatherill is scheduled to hand in her report today to Agricultural Minister Gerry Ritz over the listeriosis outbreak that occurred last summer.

According to CBC News, investigator Sheila Weatherill will hand in her report today to the Agricultural Minister on the listeriosis outbreak that occurred last summer. The outbreak was responsible for the deaths of 22 people and left countless others ill. The listeriosis bacterium was found in contaminated deli meats that were traced back to a Maple Leaf food plant in Toronto. At the time, Agricultural Minister Ritz oversaw the Canadian Inspection Food Agency, which monitors the safety of food in Canada. Weatherill and her team assessed the government’s response during the time of the incident. Throughout the seven-month investigation, over 100 interviews took place, and five million pages of information were collected. It’s unknown, however, just who underwent the interviews during the investigation. The report is not expected to convey any criminal findings or civil liability; rather, it will make recommendations on how to prevent similar outbreaks Weatherill, who is an Edmonton based health-care executive, was appointed last September when Prime Minister Harper promised an "arms length" investigation into the incident. The report comes four months past its March 15 deadline that was promised by Prime Minister Harper after Weatherill’s appointment to the investigation.