Evidence of meeting #35 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was commission.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON
How do these products, requiring these corrections by your staff, get through the application process of the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act in the first place without somebody doing all that?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission Canada
Well, 45% of our claimants are American companies--some are European--and they have a bit of a different system in the States, which sometimes results in spirited discussions with the claimant. In Canada we have certain health and safety disclosures; they have to be done in a certain format, to a certain level. In these discussions we order them to comply or not sell the product in Canada and take it out of the market.
Liberal
Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON
They're already on the market, you're telling me. That's after the fact.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission Canada
That's right. That's after the fact, yes.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission Canada
For example, we only see about 2%, perhaps, of the MSDSs for hazardous products in Canada, and 98% go directly into the market with no review whatsoever. They're the subject of provincial, territorial, and federal inspection programs to review the documentation, the accuracy, or what have you. The ones that come to us, as we have the scientific competence, we ensure that on these products the health and safety documentation is 100% correct. But you're right, it is after the fact.
Liberal
Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON
Thanks very much.
It seems to me, Mr. Chairman, these people are doing an excellent job of catching and harnessing the horse after it's out of the barn.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Oh well, at least they're capturing and harnessing.
I want to thank you very much for coming in.
I see no other questioners, so I will move on to clause-by-clause at this time.
Thank you very much, and I appreciate your very thorough explanation of the bill.
There's no need for you to leave. I hope this will take a very short time.
We now move to clause-by-clause. We can do this slowly or we can do it fast. We can do all the clauses together from one to nine, which I recommend, since I see no indication of any amendments. If we want to do it that way, we can. If not, we can do clause 1, clause 2, clause 3.
I suggest one to nine in one motion. Is that okay with everyone? Do I hear any opposition to that?
Hearing none, we will proceed that way.
(Clauses 1 to 9 inclusive agreed to)
Conservative