Evidence of meeting #85 for Health in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was industry.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Mackie Vadacchino  Chair and Administrator of Boards of Directors, As an Individual
Sylvia Hyland  Vice-President, Operations and Privacy Officer, Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada
Melissa Sheldrick  Patient and Family Advisor, Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada
Aaron Skelton  President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Health Food Association
Gerry Harrington  Senior Vice-President, Consumer Health, Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada
Adam Gibson  Member, Canadian Health Food Association

1 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

Okay.

I want to leave the last words to you, Mr. Skelton. If these regulations go ahead, tell us what the impact on Canadian businesses in the NHP industry and consumers will be in this country.

1 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Health Food Association

Aaron Skelton

Thank you very much for the question.

We know first-hand through our engagement that a significant portion of businesses would be financially unviable. Those businesses employ Canadians and service other Canadians. Products on the shelf would be drastically reduced and the prices of the products that remain would go up.

At a time when Canadians are looking for the most efficient way to spend every dollar they have, this would make utilizing natural health products to support their health that much more challenging, all while leaving online international markets open for lower-cost products, which don't have the same sort of rigour and regulation oversight that we're so proud of here in Canada.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

Thank you very much, Mr. Davies.

Thank you to all of our witnesses for your patience, expertise and for cramming an awful lot of information into the time allotted. Be assured that we greatly appreciate your being here with us today and sharing your expertise in the way that you have.

Colleagues, is it the will of the committee to adjourn the meeting?

1:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

We are adjourned.