Health committee  Thank you very much for the opportunity to present today. I have provided a copy of my comments. I apologize to you that they are not also available in French, but I should let you know that I found out yesterday about noon that I would be here this afternoon. I appreciate the

Health committee  Thank you. I have just a couple more points to make. The standard of proof required for action under Bill C-6 is too restrictive, providing little beyond what the common law provides through the right to sue, and contradicting the preamble of the bill that calls for the applicat

Health committee  The third point I would leave you with is to emphasize the case that others have made with regard to the importance of labelling to provide that information in advance. In the presentation, I've suggested two examples for how that could be achieved. Thank you.

Health committee  Well, certainly you're right in this particular context. CMP is a different strategy for different purposes.

Health committee  We suggested a combination of both. There should be a pre-testing requirement or certification from the importer that they have done their due diligence, they have checked out their supply chain, and the product they are importing to Canada does not include things that are prohib

Health committee  That's right. That's our position.

Health committee  Thank you for the question. I think part of the problem is in the language we use, because it's hard to understand from my perspective what the confidentiality issue is dealing with this. “Confidentiality” is a broad word. A trade secret I understand; it is something that's spe

Health committee  I very strongly concur. As was mentioned earlier, part of the problem is that there are not enough inspectors. There's also not a requirement that there be a strategy to utilize the inspection resources effectively in the mandate of the act. I think it's the two things together.

Health committee  Yes.

Health committee  That's the heart of the first of the recommendations that we make, which I tried to make in our presentation. It has already been noted that the biggest challenge for us in Canada has been the imports, and really the only way you can have assurances to try to prevent that in adva

Health committee  Wow. I think the response that was given by a previous witness on the question of using GHS as an alternative to putting labelling in the act is well stated. We've been hearing about this for a long time. There have been all sorts of things that have stood in the way. It may not

Health committee  None at all.

Health committee  I wanted to encourage you in the direction you're going with your questions, because I think where you're coming from is that in consumer products legislation, shouldn't those products contain labels that provide people with the information there are toxic chemicals in them? What

Health committee  The comment I wanted to make was to follow the line of thought that I perceived you were taking, which is that in a situation where the product already has a recognized standard—and electrical products would be a good example—then that's your pre-test. But for those products that

Health committee  I agree in part with what has been said about the importance of resources. That is a critical thing. I wouldn't agree that the bill as currently proposed provides for the most efficient use of the resources. The requirement for some form of pre-testing or spot-audit process gives