Tunagate
Encyclopedia
Tunagate was a 1985 Canadian
political scandal
involving large quantities of possibly tainted tuna
that were sold to the public under order of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
, John Fraser
.
The story broke on September 17 in the CBC
program the fifth estate
. Fisheries inspectors had found that StarKist tuna, made by a New Brunswick
plant, had spoiled and declared that it was “unfit for human consumption.”
A Winnipeg, Manitoba plant had processed the tuna, and the forced destruction of a million cans of tuna would likely cause the plant to close down. The owners of the plant thus lobbied fisheries minister Fraser. He decided the tuna should be allowed on store shelves. He later defended himself saying he felt the business owners were right that the inspectors were too severe, or that the inspectors could have made a mistake. He also stated that he had two other independent groups test the tuna, but the lab that did these tests later revealed that their testing was not complete when Fraser made his decision.
The day after the story broke, both opposition parties attacked Fraser, and on Thursday, a recall of the tuna was announced. The following Monday Fraser resigned, mostly settling the affair. Rules were changed to make it impossible for ministers to overrule the decision of food inspectors.
The main unanswered question was how much Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
knew at the time. Fraser at first stated that he had informed the Prime Minister’s Office. Mulroney originally said so as well. Almost immediately afterwards both recanted and stated that Mulroney had not been informed until the story had broken. Mulroney was also accused of being liberal with the truth when he told the New York Times he had fired Fraser as soon as he had heard of the affair, when in fact it had taken six days.
Despite intense national coverage for many weeks, in the end, the story ended up being mostly forgotten. Today there remains no evidence of any people getting sick from the tuna that was sold. Fraser’s career recovered and eventually he became Speaker of the House of Commons. The reputations of both StarKist Canada and the Mulroney government were hurt, however. StarKist, which had enjoyed a thirty-nine percent market share, saw it collapse to near zero, and in 1991 it pulled out of Canada. The four hundred employees of the New Brunswick plant, which still stands to this day, were put out of work as one of the largest employers in Charlotte County
shut down.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
political scandal
Political scandal
A political scandal is a kind of political corruption that is exposed and becomes a scandal, in which politicians or government officials are accused of engaging in various illegal, corrupt, or unethical practices...
involving large quantities of possibly tainted tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
that were sold to the public under order of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada)
The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for supervising the fishing industry and administrating all navigable waterways in the country...
, John Fraser
John Allen Fraser
John Allen Fraser, PC, OC, OBC, CD, QC is a retired Canadian parliamentarian and former Speaker of the House of Commons....
.
The story broke on September 17 in the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
program the fifth estate
The fifth estate
the fifth estate is a Canadian television newsmagazine, which airs on the English language CBC Television network. The name is a play on the fact that the media are sometimes referred to as the Fourth Estate, and was chosen to highlight the program's determination to go beyond everyday news into...
. Fisheries inspectors had found that StarKist tuna, made by a New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
plant, had spoiled and declared that it was “unfit for human consumption.”
A Winnipeg, Manitoba plant had processed the tuna, and the forced destruction of a million cans of tuna would likely cause the plant to close down. The owners of the plant thus lobbied fisheries minister Fraser. He decided the tuna should be allowed on store shelves. He later defended himself saying he felt the business owners were right that the inspectors were too severe, or that the inspectors could have made a mistake. He also stated that he had two other independent groups test the tuna, but the lab that did these tests later revealed that their testing was not complete when Fraser made his decision.
The day after the story broke, both opposition parties attacked Fraser, and on Thursday, a recall of the tuna was announced. The following Monday Fraser resigned, mostly settling the affair. Rules were changed to make it impossible for ministers to overrule the decision of food inspectors.
The main unanswered question was how much Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
knew at the time. Fraser at first stated that he had informed the Prime Minister’s Office. Mulroney originally said so as well. Almost immediately afterwards both recanted and stated that Mulroney had not been informed until the story had broken. Mulroney was also accused of being liberal with the truth when he told the New York Times he had fired Fraser as soon as he had heard of the affair, when in fact it had taken six days.
Despite intense national coverage for many weeks, in the end, the story ended up being mostly forgotten. Today there remains no evidence of any people getting sick from the tuna that was sold. Fraser’s career recovered and eventually he became Speaker of the House of Commons. The reputations of both StarKist Canada and the Mulroney government were hurt, however. StarKist, which had enjoyed a thirty-nine percent market share, saw it collapse to near zero, and in 1991 it pulled out of Canada. The four hundred employees of the New Brunswick plant, which still stands to this day, were put out of work as one of the largest employers in Charlotte County
Charlotte County, New Brunswick
Charlotte County is located in the southwestern portion of New Brunswick, Canada.In most of the county, fishing and aquaculture dominate the local economy, although the town of St. Andrews is a tourist mecca and St...
shut down.