Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to comment during the review of the 10-year plan to strengthen health care in Canada.
As mentioned, my name is Anne Wilkie and I'm the vice-president and head of regulatory affairs for the Canadian Health Food Association. The president and CEO, Ms. Penelope Merritt, apologizes for not being here today. The CHFA is hosting forums across the country for its members and the industry as a whole on legislation that was tabled earlier in April, and Ms. Merritt is hosting a session today in Montreal.
The Canadian Health Food Association is Canada's largest national trade association dedicated to the natural health and organic products industry. Our 1,300 members represent the entire supply chain and include growers, manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and importers involved in a variety of industry subsectors, such as vitamin and mineral supplements, herbal products, homeopathics, sports nutrition products, natural and organic foods, fibres, and health and beauty aids.
Our vision is for our industry to be the primary destination for all Canadians seeking optimal health and well-being. It is clearer now than ever before that more and more Canadians are discovering the positive health benefits that are associated with natural health products, and they are choosing these products to maintain and improve their health and well-being and that of their families. In fact, over 75% of Canadians have purchased natural health products. Our natural health products industry is currently valued at over $2.5 billion and it continues to grow.
The 1998 Standing Committee on Health's report, Natural Health Products: A New Vision, laid the groundwork for the creation of unique legislative and regulatory frameworks for natural health products, founded on the acknowledgement that natural health products were neither foods nor drugs.
The CHFA commends the government for their timely implementation of some of the 53 recommendations from the 1998 report. However, there is much more work to be done. In order to ensure that consumers have uninterrupted access to safe, effective, and innovative products at a reasonable cost, it is imperative that the government review the current regulatory environment for natural health products. We believe that for Canadians to continue to enjoy the access and choice of natural health products available today and to enable our industry to grow and to thrive, it is vital that the issues and concerns of the industry be addressed in a timely and appropriate manner that is reflective of the low-risk nature of these products.
Natural products play a key role in achieving optimal health and well-being. For increasing numbers of Canadians, there is a strong desire to have the ability to purchase a wide variety of natural health and organic products and to have the knowledge necessary to use them appropriately. To support Canadians in achieving optimal health and well-being, the federal government must provide a strong framework for Canada in health promotion and disease prevention. Research continues to demonstrate the health benefits associated with the use of natural health and organic products, and a compelling argument exists for the federal government to take a proactive leadership role in providing Canadians with the information they need to make informed choices.
We believe the Minister of Health should become the champion of the cause for wellness and work towards establishing Canada as a global leader in the evolution toward a more holistic and wellness-centred health care paradigm for the benefit of all Canadians.
The Canadian Health Food Association continues to push for a more proactive model of health care based on self-care, health maintenance, and health promotion.
We are therefore recommending to you the following:
- that the federal government become Canada's national leader in promoting a healthy lifestyle, increasing public awareness of the benefits of disease prevention, wellness, and self-care, including information on the benefits of natural and organic products;
- that the federal government encourage research that further defines the benefits of prevention, wellness, and self-care with respect to health optimization and risk reduction;
- that the federal government act as an international ambassador for a wellness centre model of health managment; and, lastly,
- that the federal government promote the benefits of organics as an option for Canadians seeking optimal health and well-being.
The Canadian Health Food Association is poised to work with the government as it strengthens its commitment to health promotion and disease prevention. Canadians expect this from their federal government. Let's be sure this opportunity is not lost. All Canadians will greatly benefit from this wellness approach.
Thank you for your time and attention, and I'd be pleased to answer any questions.