Ottawa, ON – Blaine Calkins, Member of Parliament for Ponoka—Didsbury, issued the following statement regarding the defeat of Bill C-224, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (Natural Health Products), at the Standing Committee on Health:
“Last night, Liberal MPs voted to kill Bill C-224, a bill that would have protected Canadians’ access to affordable protein powders, vitamins, probiotics and supplements they depend on every day.
“Conservatives came to committee ready to work. We listened to the concerns raised, were prepared to work with all parties on amendments and tried to find a path forward that would keep Canadians safe while reducing costly and unnecessary red tape.
“Instead, Liberal MPs voted to delete every clause of the bill.
“Bill C-224 would have reversed the changes the Liberals made to the Food and Drugs Act through Bill C-47 and restored the approach that was in place before those changes.
“Regulations that existed before Bill C-47 already kept Canadians safe. The added layer of Liberal bureaucracy gives more power to Ottawa while putting more pressure on Canadian businesses and threatening Canadians’ choice and access to affordable natural health products.
“Conservatives will continue fighting for a system that keeps Canadians safe, protects Canadian businesses and ensures Canadians have choice and access to affordable natural health products.
“This is especially disappointing after my Private Member’s Bill, C-368, a similar version of Bill C-224, passed the Health Committee in the previous Parliament. Now, with a majority government, the Liberals have shown their true intentions and have chosen to kill the Bill.
“Conservatives will continue to stand up for the over 80% of Canadians who rely on natural health products and fight for a system that protects Canadians without burying the industry in unnecessary red tape from Ottawa.
“It’s time to build prosperity and healthy outcomes for Canadians, not bureaucracy.”