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Groups congratulate government as Bill C-36 passes second reading
Health, environmental and consumer groups congratulate the Government for swiftly passing Bill C-36 through second reading in the House of Commons
Safe Kids Canada, along with several other health, environmental and consumer groups, congratulates the Government for passing the Consumer Product Safety Act, Bill C-36, as presently written, through second reading in the House of Commons. The Government is now being urged to pass Bill C-36 before the holiday gift-giving season begins.
Survey results have shown that the vast majority of Canadians believe that if a product is available for sale on the market, it is safe or has been tested for safety. This is not necessarily the case. In Canada, recalls on child products have significantly increased in recent years from 28 voluntary recalls in 2006 to 118 in 2008; this constitutes a 235 per cent increase over three years. Every year in Canada, more than 14,000 paediatric emergency room visits are for children under the age of 10, who have been injured by consumer products found in and around the home.
Modernizing the current Hazardous Products Act, which has not been comprehensively updated since its introduction in 1969, is crucial for the health and safety of the people of Canada, especially those most vulnerable. The proposed Act will introduce new safety legislation that suppliers will have to meet, and new tools for Health Canada to better protect the health and safety of Canadians through effective enforcement measures such as mandatory testing and mandatory recalls of dangerous products.
Bill C-36 is the third incarnation of the Consumer Products Safety Act. Its previous forms, referred to as Bill C-52 and Bill C-6, did not become law in 2008 or in 2009, respectively. This is a long overdue and crucial piece of legislation. Following the passage of the Bill through second reading, the Bill still needs to be passed through the committee on health and the Senate, before it may become law.
Individuals and organizations that would like to see the passage of Bill C-36: Consumer Product Safety Act without delay, include:
- Brent Hagel, PhD, Alberta Children's Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
- Canadian Association of Poison Control Centres
- Canadian Institute for Child Health
- Canadian Public Health Association
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
- Ontario Poison Centre
- Safe Saskatchewan
October 12, 2010 media release
