Evidence of meeting #51 for Health in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was sodium.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Heather Chappell  Director, Cancer Control Policy, Canadian Cancer Society
Rob Cunningham  Senior Policy Analyst, Canadian Cancer Society
Eleanor White  President, Canadian Chiropractic Association
Garth Whyte  President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
Joyce Reynolds  Executive Vice-President, Government Affairs, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
Stéphanie Côté  Dietitian, Public nutrition and communication/media, Nutrition reference centre of Université de Montréal, NUTRIUM
Barbara Kaminsky  Chair, BC Healthy Living Alliance
Mary Collins  Director of the Secretariat, BC Healthy Living Alliance
John Tucker  Director, Government and Interprofessional Relations, Canadian Chiropractic Association

5 p.m.

Conservative

Tilly O'Neill-Gordon Conservative Miramichi, NB

Thank you.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

Do we have time for a little one?

Thanks, Tilly.

Garth, I was wondering if you could comment, because I'm really concerned about the mom-and-pop restaurants. You mentioned being very careful before you put taxes up, because quite often governments do that, and they have a certain intent, but there may be some unforeseen consequences to that. I also have a concern. I think it was said as well that when you start labelling foods as good and bad, you're kind of moralizing.

Traditionally, there's been a large group of new Canadians who start off their career in Canada as restauranteurs, and they introduce us to new and wonderful foods that when I was a kid I never had the opportunity to try. I like them, and I go out of my way to go to these small restaurants. I was wondering if you could give us an idea of what unforeseen consequences might occur if government throws this policy in without even thinking about it.

5:05 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association

Garth Whyte

You could talk about basic entrepreneurs. They're as confused right now as the customer is about all the different requirements and things that are out there. It's difficult. They're also dictated to by the manufacturers who provide the food they use, so there are a bunch of things.

As Joyce said on trans fats, if you want to deal with trans fats, you have to go right down to who's providing and delivering those foods.

I also think we have conflicting regulations. An example is gluten. Some restaurants want to say they're gluten free in certain foods. We were told by another entity--the CFIA or others--that we have to be 100% sure this food isn't beside this other food; if it is, then you can never say it's gluten free. Then we talk to Health, and we talk to the people who want gluten-free food, and they say, no, that was nice of you to try, but you put us in an impossible position; we can't ever say that.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Tim Uppal

Thank you.

I'm going to allow Madame Beaudin a short question.

5:05 p.m.

Bloc

Josée Beaudin Bloc Saint-Lambert, QC

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Reynolds, you just said that there are costs associated with transforming the food supply. You just identified the problem for low-income families, and that is especially troubling because these are the families where food choices and obesity are very much an issue. Of course, everything will cost money, but why is that so bad if it results in better food choices and healthier eating habits? It is disappointing to see that the situation is worse today than it was in my parents' day. Our kids are more overweight than ever. I am glad that we have taken some action in Quebec at least and that we are now seeing the benefits of that on our children, in terms of obesity rates.

As far as salt shakers go, the solution is simple: why not just take them off restaurant tables? In France, you have to ask for butter because they do not put it on the table as we do here. That would be a very easy and, I would imagine, a fairly inexpensive fix. Why not just take salt shakers off restaurant tables? If people want salt, they can ask for it.

5:05 p.m.

Executive Vice-President, Government Affairs, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association

Joyce Reynolds

We're in the business of meeting customer demand, and that's why we believe it's really important that there be a very strong educational campaign, so that people understand they shouldn't be putting extra salt on their food. If a customer in a restaurant is asking for salt, it's pretty hard for the restaurant to say, no, I'm sorry, I'm going to be your conscience and I'm not going to give you that salt shaker.

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Josée Beaudin Bloc Saint-Lambert, QC

You can provide the salt shaker, at the customer's request. Right there, that would be a first step, one possible and accessible measure. It's true that we learn by example. I have never drunk pop in my life, but we never had any pop around when I was growing up either. My parents never bought any, and I never drank any. I don't even want to, I never missed it. I agree with you about the importance of raising awareness, educating the public and so forth, but I think people really model their behaviour on what they learned from those closest to them, and that is how we will be able to teach our children about healthy food choices.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Tim Uppal

If you can answer quickly...but I think you made your point.

5:10 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association

Garth Whyte

We talked about obesity and we talked about how 20 years ago you had to take gym class. You don't now. I have three children. You have to look at the other equation. One of the reasons is not just your intake; it's your output and the activity you have to do. We have to look at this on a holistic level. To think it's just the food that's causing the obesity issue, boy, you're off the mark.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Tim Uppal

Thank you very much.

I want to thank our witnesses today for their contribution to our study on healthy living. The committee does have a couple of minutes of in camera business to handle, so I will thank you and I will also have to ask you to leave as soon as possible while we're suspended so we can get into our in camera business.

We'll suspend for a couple of minutes.

[Proceedings continue in camera]