SAVE OUR SUSHI

[malcolmjolley]

I think we need a separate thread about how Toronto, Onario, etc. sucks. The only trouble is the Vancouver and Montreal forums will have to fight it out as to where to post.

Still trying to figure out if the ban's been lifted or not. Hoping that there may be some clarification in tomorrow's papers.

[Daddy-A]

I think we need a separate thread about how Toronto, Ontario, etc. sucks. The only trouble is the Vancouver and Montreal forums will have to fight it out as to where to post.

Awwww... you guys know we love you! I mean, you 've provided us with so much entertainment over the years ... the Laffs, Don Cherry, Wayne & Schuster. If only Rita MacNeil had adopted TO as her home ... but then you'd have had to amalgamate with Hamilton to make room ...

Seriously though ... keep us up to date on the fish issue.

A.

[jayt90]

"I drove from Goderich to Grand Bend looking for a fresh vegetable market,and the best I could find was a small bakery with some greenhouse tomato's.The fish is great,but not to be eaten every day.Grocery stores suck in South Ontario."

←

Are you getting off the tourist highway along the lake? There are fruit farms selling to the public in Arkona, Forest, and Strathroy. When I travel the secondary roads, such as Hwy. 21, or 79, there are always veg. stands with corn, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, eggs, and even herbs on the road, where you leave your money on the honour system. (Do they have that in P.Q.?)

If you venture to farmer's markets in London or Stratford, there will be a wide variety of fresh cheese, sausage, baked goods, etc.

[malcolmjolley]

I was really, really hoping that there'd be some news in the weekend papers, but after combing through the Star, the Globe and the Post I didn't see anything new from Smitherman or the ministry. (If anyone's reading the Sun(s), the Citizen, Free-Press, or any other local papers and saw something, please post!)

On Monday I'll contact the ministry myself and see if they can provide a straight answer.

Jacob Richler had a decent opinion piece in the Post: "The elites fishy causes".

Needless to say I disagree with his closing argument that we shouldn't "rise up" until the sushi police actually start raiding Hiro, Kaja et al. First of all, we already have risen! Secondly, it seems to me that that's a little late.

I also strongly disagree with his twin assertions that a) the ban was targeted only at mid-range sushi bars, and b) that this is an elitist cause. I don't see much evidence that anything to with the ban was targeted or thought about much. And amongst by the hundreds of signatures we've collected at Save Our Sushi, this is not an elitist cause, but very grass roots. (That being said, if any of you elites out there would like to sign, we'd be happy for it!)

My wife thought that Rob Shaw's profile of our campaign in the Globe made me sound like a lunatic. She's probably right, but I'm very pleased since it's led to nearly a hundred new signatures today!

[edited for atrocious spelling and also to say it’s now OVER a hundred new signatures today.]

Edited October 2, 2004 by malcolmjolley (log)

[jayt90]

"Needless to say I disagree with his closing argument that we shouldn't "rise up" until the sushi police actually start raiding Hiro, Kaja et al. First of all, we already have risen! Secondly, it seems to me that that's a little late."

A ministry spokeperson stated on CBC-1 last week that there would be a three month education period, starting Sept. 1, when they would be visiting sushi establishments.

Seminars in the kitchen? Or out front for all of us unwashed eel eaters?

[malcolmjolley]

Can you imagine a Ministry of Health offical lecturing Hiro on how to serve sushi?

Anyway, good point Jayt90: Kurji, the Chief Medical Officer of Health was quoted in the Star on Thursday morning as saying they would be willing to look at something like the "education" option. Fair enough. But to make the Star's deadline he would have been quoted on Wedensday, which is when the Minister, George Smitherman made statements to the effect that they were sticking with ban. So what's it all mean?

I sent an email to the ministry's press office this morning asking for a clarification. No repsonse yet. I am trying to get a real person's name at the ministry from a contact and will continue to pursue a statement fomr someone in a position of authority.

Until we hear something, we can only assume that nothing concrete has changed.

- Malcolm

7:45 EDT: no response.

Edited October 4, 2004 by malcolmjolley (log)

[malcolmjolley]

Finally, we have some authority that the ban is not on (for now)...

Dr. Sheela Basrur, the province's chief medical officer of health, said new guidelines requiring sushi restaurants to freeze fish before serving is not a done deal.

The CTV Story goes on to say that:

Basrur said there would be a three-month review carried out and that there was room to change the freeze order.

Either we've won and they're looking for a way to back down gracefully, or they're buying time. I'm inclined to think the former.

I know that a group of the city's top chefs has been organising to fight the ban, especially during the three month period. They may have been in contact with the ministry. I'll try to find out more.

Malcolm

Edited October 6, 2004 by malcolmjolley (log)

[Farmer Dave]

Keep up the good work Malcolm........not that I want to crank you up more ...but....did you see the story in the NYTimes today on sushi tuna (and the carbon monoxide)?

[malcolmjolley]

I saw that. Yikes. One fight at a time.

More press today: An Editorial in Eye Magazine, which is great.

Still looking to talk to someone at the ministry and/or someone from the restaurant industry who has talked to someone at the ministry, but it looking more and more like we've won and our sushi is safe, at least for a while.

[malcolmjolley]

I've posted the following at gremolata.com today:

We have won the war! Ontario's Chief Medical Office of Health, Dr. Sheela Basrur, reported to a committee at the legislature that there will be a three-month review carried out on the ban and that there was room to change the freeze order. Our premium fresh sushi is safe, but only for the time being.

We must still win the peace! The Save Our Sushi petition is now more important than ever, since it is the only organised consumer-based effort to rid the province of this odious regulation once and for all. We need to keep the pressure on and make sure consumers and regular citizens have a place at the consultation table. Please continue to rally your friends and family and keep this movement growing.

Forgive the run-on metaphor, but our campaign of shock and awe seems to have got the gov't to back down. But they still have an exit at the end of the three-month consultation period and, I'm sure, would like nothing better than for all of us to forget about it.

The province's chefs are organising and will strongly oppose the ban. I really want to make sure the citizenry, represented by the 500 odd signatures collected so far on the Save Our Sushi petition, have a chance to be heard as well. Every additional signature we collect during this period will help.

I will get the signatures and comments that have been pouring in published at Gremolata over the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend to be ready to be presented next week.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to sign and pass on the URL. So far so good: it looks like stupid food laws actually can be defeated!

Malcolm

[itch22]

My wife thought that Rob Shaw's profile of our campaign in the Globe made me sound like a lunatic. She's probably right, but I'm very pleased since it's led to nearly a hundred new signatures today!

I think a lot of people who are not sushi lovers think we are lunatics. When I had read the Toronto Star article when it was first announced I got really upset and those I live with (who are not sushi fans) had no idea why I'd be upset about something so unimportant.

[chococrazy]

This is from my friend who works as a health inspector for the city:

"It was a decision made at the Provincial level to protect the public from parasitic infections (by freezing fish, parasites - (worms) are destroyed). Due to the media attention, the province may actually change the regs. We are currently not enforcing this section until the new year, which at this time, they may amend this sections again.

FYI- most "raw" fish in the sushi industry has been previously frozen at some point (on the fishing boats) or in the store level. The media forgot to disclose this to the public. Dont be foolled, its not always "FRESH""

Oh... I do love my sushi.

chococrazy

[itch22]

FYI- most "raw" fish in the sushi industry has been previously frozen at some point (on the fishing boats) or in the store level. The media forgot to disclose this to the public. Dont be foolled, its not always "FRESH""

Oh... I do love my sushi.

chococrazy 

←

It a lot of the run-of-the-mill places, yes, but in a lot of higher end places the fish has never been frozen.

I think that the main problem with this law is what it represents. About a month ago I contracted camplibactor. Since camplibactor is a "reportable disease" (parasite acctually), the local Health Unit had to interview me. She asked me questions like, "Do you eat rare or raw meat? Do you eat raw eggs? Do you eat raw bean sprouts? Do you eat unpaturised cheese?" I answered "yes" to all of these. She asked me why I take such risks, and I replied that these things taste good.

Maybe I got camplibactor form one of these sources (or maybe a chef at a restaurant who did not wash his hands). If I did, it was worth it. I don't want the Ontario government "looking out for me" telling me I can't eat raw eggs because I'll get sick. I know I might get sick, but that is a risk I am willing to take.

[malcolmjolley]

I have been told from 2 reliable sources - one in the sushi supply business and one in the press - that the raw sushi ban has been suspended indefinitely.

I haven't seen anything on the record from the ministry, so I'm holding back from a total declaration of victory, but it sounds pretty damn good.

- Malcolm

[jayt90]

Maybe no news is good news.

Thanks for all your effort in this, Malcom.

[canadian-eh]

According to the Thursday edition of the Toronto Globe and Mail, the sushi ban is history.

Dr Basrur admits there were only 3 cases of sickness in the past decade in this province. And perhaps the sushi chefs were not consulted due to their "limited grasp of English".

But I think part of reason for the ban is this "secret society", its actions and those specifically of Malcolm. Indeed, I even got a letter from McGuinty acknowledging my protesting email and promising further study.

Anyways, I will order sushi takeout tonight!

[chococrazy]

Malcolm, you rock, I heard it on the news this morning! Yes, I think sushi is in order for dinner tonight ... even though I -did- have it on lunch on Tuesday.

chococrazy

[KnifeSkills]

That's great news! Thanks for all your work on this, Malcolm.

Here's a link to the Globe news story.

-Christine

Edited December 2, 2004 by KnifeSkills (log)

[malcolmjolley]

No, THANK ALL OF YOU! And thank eGullet! We would never have got this campaign off to a start without eGullet and our great community here.

I hope this shows that silly food laws can be reversed with enough political pressure. And I hope this galvanises gourmets in all jurisdictions to fight for what's on their plate!

[Wine_Dad]

I took clients to Hiro almost every day for 2 weeks and we all signed the petition at the door.

For a minute there, I thing democracy may have worked. For a minute.

[Hiroyuki]

First of all, congratulations on your victory!

montrachet kindly started a new thread about this topic in the Japan Forum the other day:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=56789

Sorry for my belated post here, but I had to do some catching-up before I could make any appropriate comments.

Quite frankly, when I first noticed this thread, SAVE OUR SUSHI, in this forum in September, I thought it was just another case of Japan-bashing or something and I dismissed it. Besides, I had no say in a decision by a ministry of a foreign government and frozen fish and sushi taste not so bad as you might think.

As I learned some more about this issue, I found that I was completely wrong. The message is clear even from the title,

SAVE OUR SUSHI.

You have set a good example for all of us - We can fight against a government and win.

Edited December 10, 2004 by Hiroyuki (log)