Red tape can include confusing forms, poor government customer service and excessive or outdated regulations. When farmers were asked which federal government agencies had the most room to reduce red tape (e.g. streamline rules, simplify language, shorten forms) without negatively affecting health, safety and environmental outcomes, the top five were:
- Canada Revenue Agency (60 per cent)
- Statistics Canada (58 per cent)
- Environment Canada and Climate Change Canada (56 per cent)
- Service Canada (Temporary Foreign Worker processing, Records of Employment) (53 per cent)
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (44 per cent)
On Monday, CFIB awarded a Paperweight “Award” to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for fining a meat processor $42,000 because his customers had purchased his product in BC and then sent it to Alberta. A tribunal exonerated the producer after a grueling four-year legal battle which cost him $130,000.
