Bill C-648 (Historical)

Warning Labels for Radio Apparatus Act

An Act respecting the prevention of potential health risks from radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation

This bill is from the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in August 2015.

Sponsor

Terence Young  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 Dec. 11, 2014
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment makes it an offence to sell radio apparatus for general public use without a warning label that cautions the user of potential health risks of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields associated with the use of this apparatus. The enactment also empowers the Minister of Industry to make regulations respecting the wording of the information to be printed on these warning labels, as well as the positioning, printing and dimensions of the labels. It also empowers the Minister to make regulations respecting the dissemination of information respecting the safe use of radio apparatus and providing for their sampling, testing, inspection and analysis.

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.

Warning Labels for Radio Apparatus ActRoutine Proceedings

December 11th, 2014 / 10:05 a.m.

Conservative

Terence Young Conservative Oakville, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-648, An Act respecting the prevention of potential health risks from radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to introduce my private member's bill to inform and caution Canadians of the potential health risks from radio frequency electromagnetic radiation, most commonly created by smart phones, portable phones, baby monitors, and wireless systems.

Smart phones provide Canadians of all ages with a broad array of valuable services; yet, most Canadians are unaware that these devices not only receive but broadcast electromagnetic radiation, which has been classified by the World Health Organization as possibly carcinogenic, and that the length of time of use near or touching the body may increase health risks.

This legislation would require manufacturers to place warnings, which are now buried in tiny booklets few users ever read, on the outside packaging of their products to empower consumers with the information they need to make informed choices, knowing all such radio apparatus may cause serious long-term health effects. The bill was prepared with the assistance of Citizens for Safe Technology, a national organization based in my riding of Oakville.

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