Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 21

EDMONTON JOURNAL CITYPLUS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2006 B3 SOUNDING BOARD 1 and control are pathetic. Capital Health is responsible for enforcing clean restaurants and safe food. They need to get aggressive and: 1. Post the inspedion resultsfinesclosures in the restaurant window; 2. Put the inspedion resultsfinesclosures online; 3.

Fine andor close down repeat offenders. Bob Edwards There is an education program in place according to Capital Health, but it obviously isn't working if the repeat offences are any indication. Maybe time to try something that works? Capital Health should be proadive in initiating a program such as Toronto's, not waiting for the public to respond to information they (the public) are not readily provided with. But if it takes public input to get such a program started, then let's start telling Capital Health we want such a program initiated! Jim Barb Falconer The system that should be adopted in Alberta is the one used in Toronto. Unfortunately, we do not have one politician with a backbone to implement The Journal has had an overwhelming response to its series on Capital Health's restaurant inspection system.

Many readers have called for one of the methods used in other cities to disclose inspection records, such as Toronto's DineSafe program, which requires restaurants to display colour-coded results of their most recent inspection, or Los Angeles County's program, which requires letter grades to be prominently posted. Others are keen for stricter enforcement, as in Chicago, where a restaurant's licence is suspended after three violations. The Journal has made available recent Capital Health restaurant inspection records on a free, searchable database at edmontonjournal.com Here is what some readers had to say: It seems perfectly clear to me that a restaurant that has an acceptable rating would be aiding itself by maintaining such a standard. What does a food service place gain by sloppy cleanliness standards in the kitchen, other than perhaps being able to profit from the sale of food that is unfit for human consumption? From my perspective, bad reports by an inspector should be clearly posted on the door of the restaurant similar to the postings in Los Angeles County or in Toronto, so that one would know upon arriving at the door that this place serves safe food. It should not be necessary to get such information by requesting it under the Freedom of Information rules.

I don't want to have to wait for several weeks to know if the place I want to go to for dinner tonight is safe and clean! VAStobee When we were in San Francisco this summer, we noticed that inspection reports were readily available to customers near the front of the restaurant, and a rating out of 100 was posted on the door of the restaurant. This was very useful to us to help us decide what restaurant we wanted to visit If a rating system was posted on the door of all restaurants, then people could make their own decisions as to whether or not to eat there, and also I expect that the owners would smarten up on their own. M. Kennedy-Jones I am horrified at the lax attitude of Capital Health toward uncleanliness in restaurants. I had always made the assumption that our public health agencies were doing their job in a proper manner.

Now I am not so sure. J. Slupsky I'm a former public health nurse, who has worked with health inspectors so, I know how the system works. If this expose encourages health safety and disclosure, hurrah for the public good! I always felt that the public had no information on what to do if and when becoming ill after eating at a restaurant. It was up to the doctors to send a notice of disease to the health unit, then an investigation took place.

I was told by a health inspector to check out the washroom first. If it's dirty, walk out! It's a likely indicator of the kitchen hygiene. Verna Reid 7 k. 1 CHRIS SCHWARZ, THE JOURNAL Highlevel Diner chefs Tammy Tran, left, Tony Parra, centre, and Justin Seville proudly display their restaurant's health inspection report. Manager Kim Franklin posted it in the eatery's main entrance on Saturday morning after she read The Journal's Behind the Kitchen Door series that showed many restaurants in Edmonton repeatedly violate health rules, without penalty.

"I thought this is great, we have nothing to hide. Let's just post it in case anyone is curious," Franklin said. "It's great reading material while you wait in line." this system. The Journal is doing a great job in identifying this critical problem in our area. Keep up the pressure.

Perhaps it may shame someone in the chain of command to do something about it. I have suffered a bout of food poisoning a while back I do not wish to have another one. It was a terrible and frightening night at the hospital. Joe Primcau Our restaurant inspedors should definitely be using some sort of grading system of the inspeded premises, which will be publicly displayed. As mentioned in your article, it would serve as a reassurance to the public and add to the clientele who would be attracted to a clean restaurant.

No question this would be a win-win situation for the dining public and the business owners. Geri Gregg Restaurants must post their inspection results for all to see colour-coded. Not everyone has access to computer or newspaper. Let the good restaurants be rewarded and the poor ones closed. Clark Norris After reading your articles and watching your online video, I'm not sure I'll ever dine out again! As to the question of what kind of public notification system should be in place, I would say a cross between the Alabama system which provides a number score and the Toronto system which provides a large green, yellow or red poster on the door along with the date of the inspedion and details as to why the restaurant received that rating.

I would also suggest both online and printed media reports of the weekly inspedions. Lyn Palindat There is very little point in doing inspedions if there are no consequences for violations. We have a right to know that the restaurants we eat in are sanitary and food is handled, prepared and stored safely. E. Windsor Isn't it sad that if we want a clean place to dine out that we have to send $25 to Capital Health, wait 30 days, the "maybe" receive a brief, obscure report Please give us the colour-coded stickers so we can make our choice before we walk in the door.

We spend far too much time proteding offenders in all walks of life in our society. It is time to take a stand. Jeanne Neis I would like to see weekly listings in The Journal on restaurants visited and the results on a star-like system. On visiting the city of Phoenix, I came across a restaurant review by health inspedors in the Arizona Sun. I would like to see a similar system in place here.

Sharon Pippin We had always felt that Capital Health and individuals such as Dr. Predy felt that our health interests were their No. 1 concerns. If Capital Health will not post deficiencies both at dining establishments and on a current website, then we are left with only one choice. We will no longer wine in Edmonton eating facilities and we will be asking some very dired questions of the authorities in other area municipalities before any further reservations are made.

R. Holland I cannot believe anyone in their right mind would want to continue with what we are now doing. Why we are afraid to apply the regulations that we have is beyond me. Why do we have such if we are not going to enforce them? Eric Kearney I should be able to check a restaurant's record, at no cost prior to paying for a meal. An informed decision is essential.

I anticipate that Dr. Predy will be inundated with e-mails orand phone calls as a result of your article. It is my belief that he has not received concerns as we live in Canada and we assumed that we were "eating safe." Louise Miller pet the fact A restaurant that gets consistently low grades should feel the mar-ket pressure to improve. If scoldings from health inspectors don't work, maybe profit motives wilL But free markets orJywork where there is also free and accurate informatioa It's time to let capital region diners make in-fbrmed choices. If we really do have the cleanest, safest restaurants in Canada, let's celebrate the fact by putting the information right where we can see it-Let's not be afraid of knowted ge.

Let's dig in. With gusto. ptimont theiomrnal.canwett.com Most definitely we would like to see a grading system implemented and displayed on the front of the restaurant. I hope that Dr. Predy gets this message.

According to your data, this type of public disclosure does make a difference. Betty Stewart Inspectors should have the authority to close restaurants immediately for severe infractions of the food hygiene regulations. Even minor infractions should be treated on a "three strikes and you're out" basis. Restaurant managers who fail three times on the same infraction are obviously not taking the process seriously. Although all inspection systems will have an element of education inherent in their operation, education of restaurant managers and staff supposedly should take place before an establishment is given a licence to operate.

Agencies like NAIT are responsible for educating our food and catering professionals. When training is completed, there is a certification process required For inspectors to take on the role of educators is futile and non-productive. Nigel and Sandra Richards I am appalled by Capital Health's extremely weak responses to the questions surrounding the current system of restaurant inspections in this region! There should most definitely be a system of publicizing restaurant inspection records, one that does not require the public to pay a ridiculous fee of $25 for information collected using tax dollars or require a waiting time of up to one month to receive the information Dr. Predy stated that "if we were going to do it we would have to have some good evidence that the public was really asking for it" We are asking for it now! Johnson I believe that Capital Health owes it to the people of Edmonton to post inspections on all restaurants in the capital region. Any type of colour-coded reporting systems these people for to inform the public.

They're not taking their families to those restaurants, are they? Where is our health minister on this subject? You would think Iris Evans would jump up and take the bull by the horns and implement this provincewide. Debbie Soroka I certainly agree that the dining public and the taxpayers, who pay for the health inspection, have a right to know whether or not a restaurant is serving, preparing and storing food in a safe and clean environment. The rating must be posted in a prominent manner at the entrance If a restaurant doesn't correct the problem promptly (this could be a week or so, but definitely not over 14 days), it should be shut down and be given a substantial fine. The grading system alone, especially with the percentage shown in a prominent place, would be incentive enough for an eatery to improve A good grade would bring them more customers, whereas a poor grade would cause them to lose customers. Walt Huber This is absolutely unacceptable.

I don't know why we employ health inspectors, if they refuse to dose down a restaurant as filthy as the one described as having "99 Obviously, the inspection system's use of "preventative" measures is not working! Judy Ruppell We have always relied on the city inspectors to be doing their jobs. Obviously they view it as more important to give chances rather than inform the public For this reason we advocate a system much like one in Toronto the colour-coded Pass, Conditional Pass and Closed stickers that must be placed on inspection "grades" in a noticeable way. We don't have anything like that kind of transparency here. Dr. Gerry Predy, Capital Health's chief medical officer, says there just hasn't been a big public demand for that kind of information.

But the number of hits we're getting on our inspection website absolutely refutes his argument. Restaurant health inspection reports are already a matser of public record. The public has an absolute right to see them in the most convenient, accessible way possible. Posted on restaurant doors, if need be. the front door of the premises before the inspector leaves the establishment.

The colour coding providing a dual system of notification. Included on the sticker must be the date the inspection occurred. We would also advocate a watchdog for the inspectors themselves, doing spot checks on restaurants that have previously, recently been inspected. If the inspector is not being thorough enough in their inspections, they are on the line to lose their jobs. Laura and Terry Renneberg Dr.

Predy from Capital Health indicates in a letter to The Journal that if Edmontonians want a system similar to Toronto, they can have it. I say let's get it in place ASAP. Dr. Predy had some concerns regarding the administration of such a program. What administration? Simply do the inspedion and post a copy in the window, where it stays till the next inspedion and so on.

R. Gardner If Capital Health thinks there is no interest in this topic it's simply because they have made the reporting of such infradions difficult and the average person doesn't have the time to delve into the complex workings of the system. I would be very interested in an accessible database of information on the status of restaurants that have been inspected. I would also like to see a notice on the adual restaurant indicating whether the restaurant had been inspeded and what the status of the inspedion was. The bigger the notice, the better! This is an important public safety issue and should not be brushed under the rug as Capital Health has been doing.

TXOhki What the restaurants get away with is disgusting, and Capital Health's monitoring The health authority says such changes would be expensive. It says it would be unfair to other Albertans if we monitored our restaurants differently. What nonsense. Capital Health should be happy to take the lead, to set a new provincial standard of excellence, to establish new benchmarks in health qual-tty assurance and public safety. Restaurant inspection reports aren't the be all and end all, of course.

They are one person's observations, made on one particular day. Yet over time they show a pattern. A restaurant that gets consis-tendy high marks should be able to trum similar to Toronto's would be appropriate. With respect to Dr. Predy's letter to the editor, it makes me angry that Capital Health is not more proactive.

For him to say, "The Toronto initiative is a good initiative and we'd consider something like it if people in our communities want it," shows a distinct lack of leadership and initiative on his part. For him to say "it would be a significant administrative burden" is a miserable cop-out What does it take to have the restaurant post a sign in their window? Gary Cutmore With the lack of help, and the ever-increasing desire to make a profit, many restaurants are filthy. It is a rare occasion to find a bathroom in a restaurant clean, and I would guess that the kitchens are not much better. I was especially disturbed by the restaurant who did not listen to the warnings. Five is about four too many.

If these restaurants were written up in The Journal, you can believe that they would clean up a little faster. Why are we so namby-pamby? Lynne Chalmers I think that the Capital Health region should adopt the same procedure as Chicago, or at the very least Toronto, so that consumers can be informed when they choose a restaurant Publishing it on the Internet does nothing because how many of us look on the Internet when choosing a restaurant? And many of us go to restaurants on the spur of the moment and have no access to a computer. Ellen Ainsley Why this information such a big secret? Is the health board scared of having a few restaurants dose? Great! This what we pay we've never had before the power to eat out with our eyes wide open. Capital Health argues the Edmonton region's restaurants are overwhelmingly safe, and that the health authority's policy of monitoring and educating restaurants works better than shutting them down. Edmonton's restaurants may well be, as Capital Health insists, among the very safest Canada.

But how do we know? And how do we know which resta urants are most deserving of our business? In several major cities across North America, restaurants must display their Why doesn't Capital Health feel its important that diners have easy access to inspection reports? SIMONS Continued from Bl We've probably all enjoyed delicious meals in restaurants whose kitchens we'd rather not know too much about spoon" diners or mom-and-pop ethnic eateries where authenticity trumped sanitary scrupulosity, or in high-end dining rooms where hype trumped hygiene. We closed our eyes, crossed our fingers and tucked in. Now, we've been disillusioned, kicked out of Eden, if you will. But it's a fortu-nate fall. We've gained a knowledge.