Thank you, and I appreciate your comments and feedback.
It actually took four attempts in the House before we were able to pass the consumer product safety legislation in December in the Senate.
As parents we make the assumption that when we walk into a store, products on the shelves are safe. Going into this role, as a mother, learning that we have 40-year-old legislation that does not protect children from harmful products, as an example, was a concern to me. The act we introduced and passed will give the government stronger and more.... This is modern legislation. The previous legislation was 40 years old.
Now, for the first time, we have the power to recall unsafe products from the market or off the shelves. The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act also increases industry's responsibility regarding the safety of the products they sell in Canada. It requires the industry to report incidents to Health Canada so we have a better monitoring system across the country. And it's in the interest of industry, in my view, to ensure that the products they do sell are safe as well, so they'll be working with us closely.
My department, in the last year, has been communicating with retailers and industries across the country to educate them on the new legislation. And I'm very pleased to be able to say that the legislation comes into force today.
Thank you.