Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, I attended the Canadian Health Food Association East trade show in Toronto where I had the pleasure of meeting the folks from 88Herbs, a great company from my riding, located in the town of Grimsby.
Unfortunately, their business and the whole industry of natural health products are about to get hit with additional regulations imposed unilaterally by Health Canada bureaucrats. We are all a bit confused as to why this is happening. There are already regulations in place that were introduced by the Standing Committee on Health after meeting with hundreds of witnesses over a year review period.
The newly proposed changes will see many natural health products regulated using the same rules as drugs. Natural health products are not drugs. Therefore, why regulate them the same way? The result will simply be less freedom of choice for the consumer and reduced access to natural health products.
The current regulations have worked since they were put in place, and imposing additional ones is unnecessary and counterproductive. I strongly urge and ask Health Canada not to proceed with the new regulations of natural health products so businesses like 88Herbs can continue its excellent work.