Mr. Speaker, I wish the member would pay some attention to what the government has done to this point.
House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 38% of the vote.
Krever Inquiry February 7th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, I wish the member would pay some attention to what the government has done to this point.
National Organ Donor Day Act December 12th, 1996
Question.
Excise Tax Act December 9th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the government made the commitment to reform the pest management regulatory system to make it more responsive to stakeholder needs while at the same time protecting the health and environment of Canadians. We are doing so.
The fact that cost recovery would be used to implement the reformed program was agreed to by the industry and farmers as long ago as 1990.
I want to inform the member that although the United States system appears to cost less, this is quite frankly not the case. All states, except Alaska, charge fees on top of the federal fees charged.
California alone for example recovers about $27 million based on $1.2 billion in pesticide sales. In contrast, the PMRA plans to charge $15.3 million for $1.4 billion in pesticide sales. That is almost half as much or put differently, there is $1 for every $93 of sales in Canada as opposed to $1 for every $44.50 worth of sales in California.
The member will be pleased to know that the cost of the reformed pest management regulatory system in Canada is very competitive with the costs of other countries such as the United States and Britain. The Canadian cost per registered product is 15 per cent less than in the United States and 30 per cent less than in the United Kingdom.
The member should be aware of the own use import program. This program allows farmers to import products for their own use when they consider the registered products on the Canadian market to be uncompetitively priced by manufacturers.
We are putting in place an efficient regulatory system to serve the needs of all Canadians wherever they reside in Canada.
Food And Drugs Act December 9th, 1996
We have not taken a survey of every single employee in every single service industry but maybe the member might want to do that.
Each establishment provides ingredient information through one or more of the following: a food allergy and sensitivity chart, complete ingredient information on three or more main menu items, and/or complete ingredient information on three or more prepackaged meals.
In addition, a senior staff member on each shift is responsible for inquiries from patrons and has direct access to recipes and the kitchen staff.
This program is not just limited to providing information to allergy sufferers. The program also provides information on foods commonly associated with intolerance reactions such as those experienced by some individuals to lactose or gluten. The program has proven to be very popular and has received a considerable degree of approval from the restaurant clientele and individuals with sensitivities. This program is a first in the world and has been acknowledged in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine .
We have taken additional initiatives at Health Canada. They include a contribution to the development of an educational video on the problems of food sensitivities for use in training workers in food service establishments. This contribution entailed financial resources as well as expert advice and spokespersons to appear on the video.
Regulatory amendments have been passed to require the specific identification of peanut oil on prepackaged foods. Amendments have also been proposed to require the label declaration of sulphites on alcoholic beverages.
A third item is Health Canada has established a system of recording adverse reactions to food, food ingredients or food additives. Based on the information available to date it would appear that the incidence of adverse reactions to food in the general population is low. It should be at zero.
Through this recording system the department has been able to identify very specific areas where a regulatory response is appropriate. For instance, due to the potential severity of these adverse reactions to certain allergens such as sulphite, Health Canada has taken action to minimize such reactions in susceptible individuals.
Since salad bars were identified as the major source of adverse reactions to sulphites, Health Canada has amended the regulations to prohibit the use of sulphite on all fresh fruit and vegetables, except grapes, sold or served raw to consumers. Health Canada is supportive of all efforts aimed at alleviating the problems of individuals who have adverse reactions to foods.
The department will continue its educational thrust to assist consumers on the seriousness of such adverse reactions and to offer guidance to affected consumers as well as food operators.
Bill C-309 is intended I think to assist those who are afflicted by sensitivities to food or food ingredients, but we must also bear in mind the wide range of programs and activities already in place. Additionally, we find ourselves in an era when the government is trying to reduce the number of regulations affecting various industries in Canada and we must count the cost any additional regulations may place on the food service industry. While that is legitimate I want to remind all members that Health Canada at no time is going to engage in that kind of activity at the expense of the health of Canadians. It is important that members understand that.
We believe that the programs in place now should be given a chance to develop and produce meaningful results in assisting those who are subject adverse reactions to foods.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your attention and for that of the members who have contributed to this debate.
Food And Drugs Act December 9th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank hon. members who have intervened on this bill. They have expressed some very valid concerns and have raised some very important issues.
I have to ask myself whether there is a perception out there that Health Canada and the Minister of Health are doing nothing. If that is a perception that somehow members and their constituents are labouring under, then perhaps we should dismiss that.
What we want to do is take the opportunity to review some of the activities of the health protection branch of Health Canada and of the Canadian food industry in addressing the problems of food allergies. Health Canada is concerned about food sensitivities, as I believe we all are.
Several years ago the department embarked on a national program of public education on the issue. The program includes issuing information on food allergies through various channels such as the medical profession, the provincial ministries of health and education.
Health Canada has also recognized the importance of consumer education in dealing with allergies and has produced fact sheets on sulphites and monosodium glutamate, known as MSG. These fact sheets are available to the food industry and to consumers. They provide information on what these substances are, why they can be a problem for some people and how consumers can avoid these substances. As I say, they are available to everybody, people in the industry, in restaurants and consumers.
Representatives of Health Canada have consulted with organizations such as the Allergy-Asthma Information Association and the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology to obtain their input on the extent of the problem of adverse reactions related to food.
Based on the results of these meetings, allergens associated with frequent or severe adverse reactions were identified. Representatives of the health protection branch at Health Canada have consulted with representatives of the food industry and the food service industry about implementing a mechanism to supply the consumer with information on the presence of reaction causing substances.
The seriousness of the problem of adverse reactions was quickly grasped by the food service industry and it began to develop a comprehensive plan to address this issue among its membership. In fact, in November 1991 the Canadian Restaurant and Food Services Association introduced a voluntary program entitled "Allergy Aware". In this program the participating outlets displayed an "Allergy Aware" symbol in their windows and a poster inside the facility explaining the program.
Petitions December 5th, 1996
Madam Speaker, the third petition is signed by several hundred Canadians from various parts of the country.
The petitioners call on Parliament, the Prime Minister and the government to declare Canada indivisible and that the boundaries of Canada's provinces, territories and territorial waters be modified only by a free vote of all Canadian citizens, as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, or by the amending formula as stipulated in the Canadian Constitution.
Petitions December 5th, 1996
Madam Speaker, I have two other petitions from Canadians from across the country. One relates to the synthetic milk hormone.
The petitioners ask the government to introduce legislation and regulations to ensure that this product is not employed in Canada.
Petitions December 5th, 1996
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, this petition has been certified correct as to form and content.
The petition is signed by thousands of Canadians.
Delegates attending the 1996 general council meeting of the Canadian Medical Association draw to the attention of the House a series of factors related to tobacco and tobacco related illnesses which kill over 40,000 Canadians every year and that cost Canada something in the order of $15 billion a year.
The petitioners implore Parliament to enact new tobacco control legislation based on the elements outlined in the government document "Tobacco Control: A Blueprint to Protect the Health of Canadians".
Canadian Census November 26th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I will try to answer the member as best I can.
The recently signed Canada-Chile free trade agreement is an important development for Canadian businesses. With this agreement Canadian exporters will gain significant access to one of the region's fastest growing economies and a gateway to all of Latin America.
All Canadian exports are currently subject to an 11 per cent duty when they enter Chile. This agreement paves the way for increases in trade with Chile by eliminating the duty for roughly 75 per cent of current Canadian exports to Chile. The agreement will mean immediate duty free access on goods such as telecommunications equipment, electrical generating equipment, mining and forestry equipment, durum wheat, barley, lentils and maple syrup. A further 15 per cent of current Canadian exports will have duty free access within five years.
Since 40 per cent of our GDP depends on trade, an agreement such as this one is essential for the creation of jobs and growth.
Furthermore, if Chile provides, for key products, improved access to other countries where Canadian products cannot enter duty free, this ensures that Canada will also enjoy improved access.
Elimination by both sides of anti-dumping measures will guarantee free access for Canadian exports and move forward the international reform of anti-dumping measures.
Cultural industries and the autopact are exempted from this agreement and social services and health care are fully protected. High tariffs for dairy, poultry and eggs over quota are preserved.
We have signed side agreements on labour and the environment that provide us with the new mechanisms to seek to influence Chilean policies in these important areas.
This bilateral agreement is a step toward fulfilling Canada's broader trade policy objective of promoting hemispheric trade liberalization under the FTAA. This free trade agreement will be a bridge to Chile's accession to NAFTA. Canadian exporters will have an important advantage over the United States, Asia and Europe in the Chilean market. This will give Canadian exporters a head start on their U.S. competitors when Chile does eventually join NAFTA.
The Canada-Chile free trade agreement sends an important message to our trading partners that Canada is prepared to take the lead in creating a freer trade environment throughout the world.
Tobacco November 22nd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the member is off base on this.
The health minister has prepared legislation in response to a blueprint document that has been in the public domain for a whole year. There have been 3,000 plus responses, written and otherwise, and the legislation is being prepared on the basis of the consultations that have taken place. It will come in due course.
The hon. member already knows that we have indicated it will be here and it will be here soon.