Canada's Prime Minister Files Stronger Food, Product Safety Laws
A new Canada Consumer Product Safety Act is part of a legislative packaged filed in the House of Commons on Tuesday by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who said the measures "will improve our safety and our health, make Canadian brands more competitive among global consumers, and boost confidence at home as a country whose product safety standards are second to none." The changes are intended to improve the safety of food, consumer, and health products in Canada.
The legislative package proposes amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and the new product safety act. The legislation will contain a general prohibition against the manufacture, importation, advertisement, or sale of consumer products that are a danger to human health or safety; a requirement of mandatory reporting by suppliers of serious product-related incidents, including near-misses and defects; higher fines for violations; and a new power for the federal government to order recalls of unsafe consumer products. Increased public access to product safety information also is included.
"Good for consumers. Good for the economy. This announcement is a double win for all Canadians," said Harper.
Further details of the plan and the federal government's push for healthier lifestyles are available at www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/pr-rp/action-plan_e.html.