The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has contradicted a French news report that pork contaminated with carcinogenic compounds could have been imported to Canada from Ireland.

CFIA spokesperson Monika Mazur told the Straight by phone from Ottawa that her government agency launched an investigation on the weekend.

"Irish authorities had not contacted Canada because it turns out that a preliminary investigation indicates that there is no pork or pork products or feed imported from Ireland,” she said.

Even though Mazur definitively stated that tainted Irish pork was not an issue for Canada, Agence France-Presse  reported  today (December 8) it's possible that contaminated Irish pork  was imported to this country.  

European and Asian governments are removing Irish pork products from stores and banning their import, after dioxins, which may cause cancer, were found in slaughtered pigs.

“Tainted meat may also have been sent to non-EU members Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States,” AFP reported.

According to the Associated Press, the Irish government has ordered the recall or destruction of all Irish pork products made since September 1.

While the European Union said bans aren’t necessary, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea have suspended imports of Irish pork, the news agency reported.

Ireland is “not a significant exporter of pork” to Canada and the United States, AP said.

The CFIA and Health Canada haven’t posted any advisories concerning Irish pork on their Web sites.