(Ottawa) A group of agencies that certify kosher meat are going to court Wednesday to seek an injunction against the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) guidelines on the ritual slaughter of animals.
Kosher meat requires that animals be slaughtered without being stunned first.
Although the kosher method of slaughtering animals for meat is permitted in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency released guidelines in 2021 outlining how slaughterhouses should determine if an animal is unconscious and can no longer feel pain.
Kosher certification groups say meeting these criteria significantly slows production, to the point that slaughterhouses no longer want to provide the service, which would reduce access to kosher meat in Canada.
Jewish ritual slaughter practices are nearly identical to Islamic practices for halal meat, and while the Halal Supervisory Authority of Canada has not seen a decline in production, the organization says it sides with the Jewish community on this issue.
The CFIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.