Amendment NDP-3 on page 12 and the government's motion on page 15.2 are dealing with the same issue of medical devices. Mr. McGuinty brought up the issue of unintended consequences. We agree, and I'm hoping we can find some middle ground here. I thought we had some. The proposal would ultimately result in the ban of safe and effective medical devices, even if there were no safe and effective alternatives in Canada, which is Mr. McGuinty's point.
Under Mr. Cullen's proposal, regulatory decisions made by another regulatory agency about the safety and effectiveness of DEHP-free alternatives would determine whether or not DEHP-containing medical devices would be available in Canada. The current medical device regulations prohibit the sale or importation into Canada of unlicensed medical devices, even if they've been approved for sale in another regulatory jurisdiction. Health Canada's safety requirements for medical devices are generally more stringent than those in many countries, and generally you'll find more evidence for safety and effectiveness.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept this amendment as it may introduce new potential safety risks posed by using DEHP devices not approved for use in Canada. We believe our recommendation on page 15.2 strikes that balance, and we would hope that Mr. Cullen would withdraw his motion and support the one on page 15.2.
Thank you.