Canadian lawmakers call on government to halt imports of long

A half-dozen members of the Canadian parliament are urging the government to immediately suspend imports of long-tailed macaques into the country over concerns the monkeys may be infected with tuberculosis and pose a biosecurity risk.

In their Oct. 1 letter, the lawmakers cite reports that dozens of infected monkeys arrived in Canada between 2011 and 2014 due to a “discredited” screening system, and say the Canadian Food Inspection Agency “has not strengthened oversight, imposed additional controls, or acknowledged the inadequacy of outdated testing protocols.”

“Evidence now confirms that monkeys infected with tuberculosis… are entering North America through the international primate trade,” wrote the lawmakers , who are all members of the Ontario New Democratic Party, an opposition pa