I am proud to provide you with an update on the progression of Bill C-368, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (natural health products). I was very pleased to add my name as a joint seconder to the bill, as many constituents have been in contact with my office on this file. Your advocacy has given me the opportunity to better appreciate and understand the importance of NHPs to people in our community. I want to thank you for your continued efforts that have led to this moment. It is because of you that we are seeing progress on this file.
NHPs have a long history of use in Canada as a low-risk and affordable way of promoting health. New Democrats know that they must remain accessible to all Canadians. Meanwhile, we also know that NHPs need their own regulatory framework and category to certify their safety and to make sure they remain available to the millions of Canadians that use them. Unfortunately, through their 2023 Budget, the Liberals snuck extensive regulatory changes for NHPs into their legislation. Thankfully, Bill C-368 will reverse that. The Liberals voted against this bill. It was thanks to the votes of the NDP that this bill will be brought forward to the Health Committee to be examined by MPs to ensure that NHPs remain accessible for all Canadians.
I made the following remarks during my speech in the House of Commons on the bill at Second Reading:
“I want to congratulate the NHP community and industry, which have been very actively engaged on this issue through their work. I really want to single out the local businesses in my riding of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford and the constituents who live on Vancouver Island. I congratulate them for their advocacy, for stepping up to the plate and for engaging me as their elected representative, because it has worked. I am proud to say that, in this place, as their elected representative, I will be pleased to vote to send Bill C-368 to committee.”
You can watch my whole speech below.