Today, the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) is applauding the government
for listening to the natural products (NHP) industry’s concerns regarding Bill
C-51, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act and to make consequential
amendments to other Acts, and subsequently tabling amendments which would place
NHPs in a separate category in the proposed legislation.
“Since Bill C-51 was tabled in early April,” said CHFA
CEO Penelope Marrett, “we’ve been working hard to make our members’ concerns
known to the Minister of Health, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health,
Opposition Health Critics as well as Health Canada
officials."
“We are encouraged to see that the positive dialogue
which we’ve had with Parliamentarians and other government officials will result
in a significant step forward for our industry.”
Last Thursday in the House of Commons, the Minister of
Health tabled a letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Health, which
proposed government amendments to Bill C-51. The Bill is still being debated in
Second Reading of the House of Commons and is expected to be referred to the
House of Commons Standing Committee on Health very soon.
“This development demonstrates the importance of having
industry work constructively with government,” said Marrett. “We look forward to
being involved in the upcoming formal consultations related to this Bill as well
as presenting before the Standing Committee on Health once it studies Bill C-51
in the fall.
There is still much work to be done.”
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