Mr. Speaker, currently the ingredient labels on pre-packaged foods sold in Canada are not sufficiently clear or comprehensive enough to protect the health of Canadians living with food allergies or celiac disease. Consequently, organizations like Anaphylaxis Canada and the Canadian Celiac Association have been advocating for improved labelling for over a decade.
In 2008, the government announced that it had drafted regulations to update these labels. However, here we are two and a half years later, and the government continues to stall the introduction new regulations, possibly because of last-minute lobbying by industry groups. In December, the health minister wrote that the new regulations would be ready in early 2011. However, a week ago the department spokesperson stated that it was still in the consultation phase.
These regulations are long overdue and the health of millions of Canadians is being jeopardized by the delay, putting them at risk of eating or drinking something that could have serious consequences. When will the government introduce these critical regulations to help ensure the good health of Canadians?