The Miller's Fiasco: Justice For Small Business

62 Signatures
#Law Reform
Target:
Ted Arnott, MPP; Ontario Legislature
Region:
Canada

Miller's Scottish Bakery's wholesale business, was brought to a sudden halt by provincial inspectors, two days before Christmas, 2010.

Even though this bakery business has been active for over 20 years without incident, new regulations have classified it as 'a free-standing, meat-processing plant.' A $50,000 refit has been specified as required for compliance; normally, such stipulations would apply to a small slaughter-house. Miller's, however, only cooks pre-cut meat, for inclusion in pies, bridies and pasties.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs claims that they are looking out for food safety, by way of more stringent regulations, and the promotion of small food businesses versus large food corporations. This is problematic and contradictory, given that adherence to these new regulations creates undue hardship on small businesses, yet seems geared towards the elimination of the widespread effects that come with the production of food products on a grand scale.

Whereas:
Miller's Scottish Bakery has been a valued community, family-run retail and wholesale small business and local employer in the Riding of Wellington--Halton Hills for over 20 years;

And whereas:
Miller’s Scottish Bakery works solely with pre-cut meat, from a licensed processor, in the making of meat pies;

And whereas:
New government regulations have re-classified Miller’s Scottish Bakery as 'a free-standing, meat-processing plant’ requiring a $50K retrofit, such as would apply to a slaughter house;

And whereas:
It creates undue hardship to require small businesses/employers such as Miller’s Scottish Bakery to adhere to the same requirements as large corporations that deal in raw meat products;

We the undersigned petition the Legislature of Ontario as follows:

Designate Miller’s as a wholesale bakery, and rescind the sections of the new OMAFRA Act that lump bakeries like Miller's in with businesses that process raw meat; bakeries that wholesale cooked meat products should not be classified as 'meat-processing plants.'

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The The Miller's Fiasco: Justice For Small Business petition to Ted Arnott, MPP; Ontario Legislature was written by Caroline Kramer and is in the category Law Reform at GoPetition.

  1. The Miller's Fiasco: Justice For Small Business