Bill C-497 (Historical)

Tanning Equipment Warning (Cancer Risks) Act

An Act warning Canadians of the cancer risks of using tanning equipment

This bill was last introduced in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session, which ended in March 2011.

Sponsor

James Bezan  Conservative

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of March 11, 2010
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment requires the Governor in Council to amend the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations to strengthen labelling requirements for tanning equipment.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Tanning SalonsStatements by Members

February 25th, 2013 / 2:05 p.m.
See context

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Mr. Speaker, my wife is a melanoma skin cancer survivor. She and I were both customers of tanning salons.

In 2009, the World Health Organization designated tanning beds category 1 carcinogenic to humans. This is at the same danger level as tobacco, asbestos, mustard gas and plutonium.

Since 2010, I have pushed for tougher action on indoor tanning and tabled Bill C-497 and Bill C-386. Yesterday the Minister of Health and I announced that new warning labels will be introduced that would strengthen the warnings about the dangers of using tanning beds. I want to thank the minister for taking this bold initiative.The new warnings state that “Tanning Equipment Can Cause Cancer” and that they are “Not recommended for use by those under 18 year of age”.

Skin cancer is one of the most common yet most preventable cancers, especially for our youth. We have come a long way. Eight provinces have already implemented or indicated their intention to enforce age restrictions on tanning beds. I call on all provinces to follow the lead of British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia and ban our youth from using tanning beds.

Tanning BedsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

September 26th, 2011 / 3:10 p.m.
See context

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present today hundreds of names in support of my private member's bill in the last session of Parliament, Bill C-497. My private member's bill, which I plan on re-tabling in this session of Parliament, called upon the government to establish better labelling requirements for tanning beds to ensure that people understand that tanning beds are carcinogenic, that the World Health Organization has rated them as the highest cancer risk category, and that they do create melanoma skin cancer and other types of skin cancer.

We have seen hundreds of deaths per year from melanoma and other cancers caused because of exposure to sun and UV radiation. We need to ensure there is a positive public awareness campaign and the proper labelling of tanning beds, so that people are aware of the dangers they undertake.

Tanning Equipment Warning (Cancer Risks) ActRoutine Proceedings

March 11th, 2010 / 10:05 a.m.
See context

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-497, An Act warning Canadians of the cancer risks of using tanning equipment.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Surrey North for seconding my bill that would create an act warning Canadians of the cancer risks of using tanning equipment.

Her family and my family all too well know the dangers and risks of skin cancer, in particular melanoma, and I have been wanting to bring this bill forward to draw everyone's attention to the dangers of using tanning equipment.

Last summer the World Health Organization, under the advice of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, made the recommendation to move tanning equipment to the highest cancer risk category and is now calling tanning beds carcinogenic to humans.

Young people are most at risk and so the bill would develop warning labels and increase signage in tanning salons to ensure that people could see these risk factors, know that there is a chance of getting skin cancer, as well as other premature aging and other issues associated with the use of tanning equipment.

More importantly, we must ensure that the youth of our country are not unnecessarily using these devices. Research has shown that if one starts tanning before the age of 30 in artificial tanning beds that one's risk of cancer increases 75%.

Therefore, these are huge risk factors and we need to ensure that we are doing everything we can from a standpoint of consumer awareness, and this bill would make that happen.

I look forward to everyone's support.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)